
GassU f ; 7 

Book .-2 



REPORT 



OF THE 



Arkansas State Council 
of Defense 




MAY 22, 1917, TO JULY 1, 1919 






n." «f t. 

AUQ 19 J920 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

Page 

Introduction _ ^ 3 

Council of National Defense „ 4 

Organization and Membership of State Council 5 

Meetings of State Council 6 

County Councils 6 

Community Councils 7 

Patriotic Education 8 

A— Publicity 8 

B — Distribution of Printed Matter 12 

C— Four M inute Men 1 2 

D — Speakers' Bureau 14 

E — Loyalty Week 15 

F — Liberty Choruses 1 5 

G — German-speaking Population 15 

War Conferences 15 

Conservation Work 16 

A — Food Production 1 6 

B — Rice H arvesters 1 7 

C — Use of Unpolished Rice 1 7 

D — Campaign Against Use of Veal 17 

E — Commercial Economy ....„ 1 7 

F— War Gardens 1 8 

G — Tick Eradication 18 

H — Conservation of Live Stock 18 

State Protection 19 

A — Home Guards _ 1 9 

B — Fire Protection 20 

C — Flood Protection 20 

D — Fruit Tree Frauds 20 

E — Suppression of Disloyalty and Serition 20 

F— Civilian State Rifle Shoot 21 



TABLE OF CONTENTS— Continued. 

Page 

State Welfare Work „ 21 

A — Educational 21 

B— Health 22 

C — Labor 26 

D — Highways 27 

E — Fuel Shortage 27 

F— Closing Pool Halls 27 

G — Girls' Industrial Home 27 

H — Support of Agricultural Work 27 

Ship Building 27 

Assistance to the Selective Service Boards 28 

A — Cards and Questionnaires 28 

B— Drill for Class A Men 28 

C — Detection of Deserters and Delinquents 28 

Assistance to Government Activities 28 

A— Food Pledge Cards 28 

B — Campaigns 29 

C — Opera and Field Glasses _.... 29 

D — Alien Property 29 

Solicitation of Funds 29 

Service to Soldiers and Sailors 30 

Report of Committee on Farms for Returned Soldiers and 

Sailors 31 

Non-War Construction 34 

Food Administration 35 

County Food Administrators 3 7 

Fuel Administration 39 

Liberty Loan Campaigns 41 

War Savings Stamps Campaign 42 

The Selective Service Administration 44 

Arkansas War History — Compiled by Provost IVIarshal General 

Crowder 45 



TABLE OF CONTENTS— Continued. 

Page 

Statement by Counties Showing Men in Service 50 

Work of Adjutant General's Office Toward Securing Employ- 
ment for Discharged Men _ 52 

War Work by the Women of Arkansas 53 

Red Cross — Statistical Report 53 

Y. M. C. A 54 

United War Work Fund _ 55 

Volunteer Medical Service Corps 55 

List of County Representatives 56 

U. S. Employment Service 59 

Organization 59 

Employment Districts 60 

Government Construction 61 

Statistics for 191 8 61 

Reconstruction Period, December 1, 1918, to July 1, 1919 62 

Assistance by State Council 63 

Statistical Recapitulation 65 

List of County Representatives in Charge of Returning 

Soldiers and Sailors Bureau 65 

U. S. Employment Service — Women's and Girls' Division 67 

Organization 67 

Nature of Service Rendered 68 

Reconstruction Period, December 1, 1918, to July, 1919 69 

Explosives Regulation 70 

Original Proj ects 7 1 

National Priority Board 7 1 

Supervision of County Council Work 71 

Duties of Army Chaplains 71 

The Farmers' Give-a-Bushel War Fund 71 

Executive Committee 74 

Legislative Committee „ 74 

Americanization Committee _ 74 



TABLE OF CONTENTS— Continued. 

Page 

Historical Record Work of Mr. Dallas T. Herndon 74 

Finances _ 75 

Statement of Receipts and Disbursements _ * 76 

In Memory of J. W. Dean 78 

In Memory of General J. R. Gibbons „ :.. 82 

Conclusion 86 

List of Chairmen of County Councils of Defense 86 

ILLUSTRATIONS. 

State Council of Defense Frontispiece 

J. W. Dean Facing page 78 

J. R. Gibbons Facing page 82 



INTRODUCTION 

This report is not a history of Arkansas in the war, it is not 
even a complete account of any one of the many war activities of 
our State. It is only a brief outline of the work of the Arkansas 
State Council of Defense. 

In recording the work, it has been necessary to name the chair- 
men of the various committees through which the service was per- 
formed but to imply that they alone brought about the results 
accomplished would be most unfair to thousands of men and women 
in the counties of our State whose patriotic and consecrated service 
made for Arkansas such a magnificent war record. 

The people of Arkansas were a militant home army, backing 
the "boys over there" by united and unselfish patriotism and sac- 
rifice. To attempt to name them is impossible. But they all 
labored in the endeavor to be worthy of the supreme sacrifice made 
by the sons and daughters of Arkansas on behalf of righteousness, 
justice and the freedom of men everywhere. 



COUNCIL OF NATIONAL DEFENSE 

By act of Congress, approved August 29, 1916, the Council 
of National Defense was created, charged with the "co-ordination 
of industries and resources for the national security and welfare" 
and with the "creation of relations which will render possible in 
time of need the immediate concentration and utilization of the 
resources of the Nation." 

The Council of National Defense was composed of members 
of the Cabinet, Secretary of War Newton D. Baker, chairman; 
Secretary of Navy Josephus Daniels, Secretary of the Interior 
Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of Agriculture David F. Houston, 
Secretary of Commerce William C. Redfield, and Secretary of 
Labor William B. Wilson. 

An Advisory Commission was appointed by President Wilson 
composed of seven citizens distinguished in business, labor and 
science. 

Soon after war was declared, the Council of National Defense 
called upon President Wilson to secure for it full co-operation in 
carrying out its plans by the organization of State Councils of 
Defense who should assist the Council of National Defense in 
attaining the full realization of the purposes for which it was 
created. 



REPORT 

of the 

Arkansas State Council of Defense 



At the request of President Wilson, Governor Charles H. 
Brough appointed Adj. Gen. Lloyd England, W. G. Brasher, Dr. 
C. W. Garrison, Frank Pace, Jos. W. House, Jr., H. L. Remmel, 
Major Durand Whipple, Moorhead Wright, all of Little Rock; 
Gen. J. R. Gibbons of Bauxite, C. C. Calvert of Fort Smith, 
President J. C. Futrall of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, 
and Ex-Governor J. M. Futrell of Paragould to serve as the Ark- 
ansas State Council of Defense. 

At the first meeting held in Little Rock, May 22, 1917, the 
council was organized by the election of Adj. Gen. Lloyd England, 
Chairman and Director ; Durand Whipple, Assistant Director, and 
Jos. W. House, Jr., Secretary, and headquarters established in the 
Whipple building, where Mrs. William G. Whipple very gener- 
ously provided commodious offices free of cost to the council. 

As the work grew and activities of the council enlarged, 
Governor Brough appointed as additional members of the State 
Council, J. L. Bond, J. W. Dean, Clio Harper, Fred Heiskell, 
W. L. Hemingway, R. B. Keating, John H. Page, E. T. Reaves, 
W. C. Ribenack, J. S. Speed, W. G. Sprague, Chas. E. Taylor, 
Chas. L. Thompson, Wallace Townsend, Judge Jacob Trieber, J. 
R. Vinson, Dr. Frank Vinsonhaler and C. W. Watson of Little 
Rock, Mrs. Jo Frauenthal of Conway, Hamp Williams of Hot 
Springs and H. C. Couch of Pine Bluff. 

This membership included the State Chairman of every activ- 
ity contributing to the carrying on of the war, with the result that 
every phase of war work was considered in its relation to the whole 
war plan, confusion and conflict were eliminated and the most 
harmonious and patriotic co-operation of every war activity was 
secured. 



6 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

Two members of the State Council volunteered for active 
service in the army. Durand Whipple was called into the Judge 
Advocate General's Department, with a commission as Major, 
and served both in the United States and in France. Dr. Frank 
Vinsonhaler's offer of service was accepted, and he was commis- 
sioned a Captain in the medical corps and was later promoted to 
the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and served both at home and 
abroad. 

At first the State Council met twice a week for an hour's con- 
ference, but the importance and volume of the work outgrew this 
arrangement. The council then met at 12 :30 each Monday after- 
noon and continued in session until the work that had accumulated 
was done. The loyalty and patriotic desire of its members to ren- 
der effective service to their Nation and State are unmistakably 
shown by the splendid attendance maintained at these weekly meet- 
ings, by the long hours devoted to this work and by the careful 
and painstaking consideration given to every matter presented to 
the council. The headquarters were moved in August, 1917, to 
the Boyle building, Wallace Townsend was elected director, upon 
Major Whipple's resignation, and Chairman Lloyd England was 
elected treasurer. 

Organized at first to assist the Council of National Defense, 
the State Council broadened its labors until it gave detailed and 
effective consideration to everything that advanced the welfare of 
Arkansas and promoted the best interests of her citizens. 

COUNTY COUNCILS OF DEFENSE. 

The first consideration was the organization of County Coun- 
cils of Defense, An effective council was created in every county, 
and, through their loyal support, Arkansas responded fully, enthu- 
siastically to every patriotic request made of her people. 

The county councils became powerful agencies to spread the 
information of the causes of the war, the need for united support 
from every citizen, the suppression of disloyalty and sedition ; they 
rendered definite assistance to the draft boards, the men called into 
service and their families. They supervised all war activities so 
that there was neither duplication nor conflict of eilfort. They 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 7 

were the guardians of the patriotism and civilian morale of their 
counties. They conducted effectively the various tasks assigned by 
the State Council of Defense and by the organization of community 
councils of defense brought every citizen v^^ithin their influence. 

Almost all of the county councils maintained headquarters, 
held regular meetings and provided finances for carrying out their 
work. In many counties, the value of their work was recognized 
by appropriations for the support of this work made by the county 
quorum courts. The State Council called upon the county coun- 
cils by means of circular letters issued as the need arose. 

The chairman and members of each county council took an 
oath of office and were commissioned by Governor Brough and the 
State Council of Defense. Their loyal and efficient service made 
the work of the State Council possible. 

COMMUNITY COUNCILS OF DEFENSE. 

Immediately upon securing effective county council organiza- 
tions and in response to a call from the Council of National 
Defense, the work of organizing a community council in every 
school district was undertaken. This work was largely under the 
supervision of Asst. Adj. Gen. A. W. Dobyns, who was elected 
assistant director and field representative of the State Council. 
Mr. Dobyns rendered a splendid service, and was rapidly com- 
pleting the organization work when he secured a commission as 
Captain in the National Army of the United States and sent to 
Camp Deming, New Mexico. At the time the armistice was 
signed, the work was almost finished and the organization of al- 
most five thousand community councils was evidenced by the 
rosters and signed oaths of membership on file at the State Coun- 
cil. These oaths of membership will be preserved in the State 
Historical Department in the State Capitol at Little Rock. Com- 
missions were issued to each community council chairman. 

The purposes and work of the community councils can best be 
stated by quoting from the State Council Bulletin on this subject. 

1. To unite all loyal citizens in every patriotic endeavor for 
the successful prosecution of the war. 



8 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

2. To stop sedition at home by reporting enemies of the 
Government to those legally in authority. 

3. To secure an increased production of food stuffs, that 
there may be plenty at home and abroad. 

4. To conserve food and fuel so that the soldier may not 
suffer from lack of nourishment and that industry may not be 
retarded. 

5. To insist that every able-bodied citizen shall engage in a 
lawful occupation six days in each week. 

6. To encourage those who are giving their best efforts in 
the mines, in the mills, on the railroads and on the farms to the 
greater production of tliose necessities needed to prosecute the war. 

7. To apply the lash of public condemnation to those who 
give aid and comfort to the enemy through failure to give of their 
time, money or labor to the cause of the Nation. 

8. To render all assistance possible in campaigns for Liberty 
Loans, War Savings Stamps, Red Cross and other war funds. 

9. To stop all forms of waste and to encourage thrift among 
the families of Arkansas. 

10. To lend support to the enforcement of the selective 
service regulations. 

11. To report to the proper authorities, deserters from the 
army or draft. 

12. To throw the arm of protection around and administer 
to the dependents of men who have been called to the battlefield. 

13. To aid in the creation of public sentiment in the sup- 
port of the war. 

14. To keep inscribed in your hearts the names of those from 
your community who have been called to the colors and to remem- 
ber them with useful gifts. 

The Work of the State Council. 

It is manifestly impossible to set forth in detail the work of 
the Arkansas State Council of Defense. It did not undertake to 
direct or control the various war agencies engaged in specific tasks 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 9 

but it did undertake to build up an effective and far-reaching 
organization through which they could work. That its work was 
well done is shown by the fact that the Council of National De- 
fense commended it and classed it among the frve most efficient 
State Councils of the United States. 

Only a brief report of the work of the State Council is given. 
It does not purport to do more than sketch the more important 
activities. 

PATRIOTIC EDUCATION. 

At the very beginning of its work, the State Council recog- 
nized the need and value of a campaign to inform the people of 
the underlying causes that forced us to war, to show that a victory 
for the central powers would menace our government and imperil 
the freedom of the world. The State Council never had any 
doubt of the patriotism of Arkansas people, of their willingness to 
make, and to make cheerfully and wholeheartedly, full response to 
every call for service and sacrifice just as soon as they were con- 
vinced this was a war for justice and world liberty. 

A — Publicity. 

The publicity campaign was placed in charge of Mr. Clio 
Harper, whose report gives a splendid account of the work accom- 
plished and pays a well-merited tribute to the patriotism of the 
Arkansas Press. Mr. Harper's report is as follows: 

The Arkansas Press and the War. 

While gun and foot and ship and plane 
/ 7 Have nobly done their part. 

The Press again and yet again 

Has proved its valiant heart. 

—The Press, Ally of Mars. 

No more valiantly did the khaki of the camp and field, the 
blue and white of the surging main, and the valorous hearts beneath 
the crimson cross, rally to the support of the Nation and mankind 
than did the newspapers of the country in the Great Conflict. 
Never before did they play so well and so effectively their role of 
Moulders of Thought and Directors of Action. It is conceivable 



10 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

that the war might have been won without the aid of the press, 
but it would have required many more years and uncounted treas- 
ure in precious lives to have achieved the victory. 

Wielders of resistless force that makes, unmakes, 
The kings and potentates of earth, we bow before 
Thy power, acknowledging no peer than Him alone 
Whose will controls the destiny of spheres. 

The first stirring appeal to the patriotism of the people of 
Arkansas was issued late in May, 1917, at which time Governor 
Brough appointed the Arkansas State Council of Defense to bind 
together the civilian interests in a co-operative support of the war. 

The Press had as a unit supported the administration in the 
long and trying months of preparation and uncertainty, but when 
the issue was drawn and the call to arms resounded throughout 
the land, the newspaper men of Arkansas, in common with those 
of other states, rallied to the cause of democracy and humanity. 

Very soon after the organization of the State Council, a pub- 
licity department was established, and Clio Harper, a Little Rock 
news writer, was placed in charge of it. A systematic campaign 
of publicity was then undertaken, and kept up unremittingly until 
after the armistice was signed in November, 1918. Every week 
a news-letter was sent to every newspaper in the State, and the city 
dailies were supplied with a vast amount of publicity matter. This 
consisted of patriotic appeals, of orders and proclamations, news of 
the many agencies organized in support of the Government, and 
propaganda designed to stimulate patriotism and solidify the fight- 
ing units. 

It was a testing time for the press. Scores of departments of 
the State and National Governments seemed to awaken suddenly 
to the potency of the press, and the invaluable influence it must 
exert in maintaining the morale of both the civilian and the fighting 
man. In consequence, the newspaper offices were flooded with 
publicity matter in great quantities, enough coming into an office 
each week to fill a paper twice as large to the exclusion of all else. 
A lack of co-ordination and a mistaken policy that quantity meant 
efficiency caused great wastage in the publicity work of the numer- 
ous departments. 



Arkansas State Counxil of Defense 11 

But the newspaper men were equal to the occasion. They 
did not complain — much. They threw 90 per cent of the matter 
into the waste-basket, but made such good use of the remaining 10 
per cent that the results expected were achieved, the morale was 
unbroken, the greatest fighting machine the world ever knew was 
organized and put into action, discordant elements were pacified, 
and every energy, every agency, every individual was set grimly to 
the task of winning the war. 

The matter furnished by the Arkansas Department of Pub- 
licity, localized in character wherever possible, filled the columns 
of the Arkansas press, and a scrap book of several hundred pages 
has been compiled covering all phases of the work, and demonstrat- 
ing the generous space given to the cause by business interests whose 
advertising space is as much their stock in trade as the goods upon 
the shelf are the stock of the merchant. 

It is impossible to individualize, where all did their part, often 
giving almost all their space to news of the war and the support 
of the Government at home. It was a great work, efficiently done, 
and that the Government appreciated it, is shown by the following 
excerpt from a letter written to the publicity manager, December 
23, 1918, by D. M. Reynolds, who had been at the head of the 
Publicity Department of the Council of National Defense: 

"I was very sorry to receive your letter of December 18, par- 
ticularly because I hate to see this wonderful machine go to pieces. 
Through your work and other State publicity managers, we have 
been able to carry the war home to the people. 

"As you know, on the day the armistice was declared the 
Defense system consisted of forty-eight State Councils, more than 
four thousand County Councils, sixteen thousand women's organi- 
zations and a total of 184,432 local units — the biggest, strongest, 
most effective war organization that America has ever known. 

"We have been a free people, living as we please and doing as 
we please under the laws we, ourselves, enacted. Because we were 
a free people, it was absolutely necessary that every problem in 
regard to this war should be laid before the people of this Nation. 

"When the people once understood the program and the neces- 
sity there has never been any doubt about the carrying of the pro- 



12 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

gram out. The laying of this program before the people of Ark- 
ansas has been your business. We have had clippings daily from 
the clipping bureaus which have shown your work, and in accept- 
ing your resignation, permit me to say that from the record of 
things accomplished in Arkansas, it has been about as near one 
hundred per cent as is humanly possible. 

"I have had occasion before to tell Mr. Hurley, Secretary 
Wilson, General Crowder and some of these other men of the 
work that you have been doing, and I am now preparing to draw 
a final report as of January first, which report will go to Franklin 
K. Lane, a chairman of the Council of National Defense, and to 
the President." 

B — Distribution of Printed Matter. 

In addition to the work done by the Publicity Department, 
the State Council distributed many thousands of pamphlets and 
posters. It had printed and distributed 10,000 copies of Secretary 
Lane's address on the war. It purchased and distributed among 
the selective service men 10,000 copies of the splendid booklet, 
"Keeping Fit to Fight." Among other pamphlets, were "Why 
We Are At War," "Financing the War," Mr. Taft's Montreal 
speech. The Federal Reserve Primer, the many patriotic and edu- 
cational booklets issued by the Committee on Publicity of the 
Council of National Defence. 

C — The Four-Minute Men. 

The State Council provided for the organization and support 
of the Four-Minute Men, of which Mr. H. L. Remmel was State 
chairman. Mr. Remmel makes the following report: 

It gives me pleasure to report the activities of the Four-Min- 
ute Men of the State of Arkansas during the years of 1917 and 
1918, until their services were discontinued by the national organi- 
zation. 

As a member of the State Council of Defense I was selected 
as director of the Four-Minute Men for the State of Arkansas, in 
June, 1917. I immediately appointed Mr. W. G. Akers, a promi- 
nent young attorney of Little Rock, as assistant director. With 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 13 

the assistance of Mr. Akers, we immediately began organizing 
the State, and we created an effective organization. 

The Arkansas Four-Minute Men gave valuable service 
throughout the War under mj^ leadership. Seventy-two out of 
seventy-five counties were organized, and in addition there were 
one hundred local chairmen in different towns over the State. 
The church sections were also well organized, with three hundred 
and seventy-five ministers as Four-Minute speakers. 

In a year and a half's work $725, or approximately $40 per 
month, was spent by the headquarters, and this sum was furnished 
by the State Council of Defense. Little Rock had an especially 
good organization. 

Mr. Edward McCulIough was first chairman for Little Rock. 
He was called to St. Louis, and was succeeded by Senator Grover 
T. Owens, who rendered excellent services for a short time. Mr. 
Owens was succeeded by George A. McConnell. He made the 
most active and energetic chairman the Four-Minute Men ever 
had. He had a splendid corps of active, wide-awake speakers, 
among whom were: 

W. G. Akers, Samp Jennings, 

H. M. Armistead, J. V. Johnson, 

John D. Arbuckle, J. Frank Keeley, 

U. S. Bratton, C. R. Ledbetter, 

J. A. Comer, J. F. Loughborough, 

Powell Clayton, Abner McGehee, 

Morris M. Cohn, David McLees, 

D. H. Cantrell, Harry H. Myers, 

T. W. Campbell, Tom M. Mehaffy, 

A. W. Dobyns, R. M. Mann, 
John Farmer, Geo. A. McConnell, 

B. W. Green, J. W. Mehaffy, 

C. W. Gray, J. E. Martineau, 
Jas. A. Gray, John W. Newman, 
G. D. Henderson, B. C. Powell, 

H. T. Harrison, A. H. Poppe, 

D. K. Hawthorne, W. H. Rector, 
Fred Isgrig, R. L. Rogers, 



14 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

Cummins Ratcliffe, J. A. Tellier, 

S. W. Rogers, George Vaughn, 

Geo. B. Rose, R. E. Wiley, 

F. W. Rawles, H. M. Williams, 

W. G. Riddick, J. F. Wills, 

W. B. Smith, S. L. White, 

C. E. Smith, Jr., J. B. Webster, 

J. I. Trawick, Judge Wade. 
T. J. Terral, 

I, as director, also assisted in making frequent speeches at 
theaters. In the summer and fall of 1918 we had with us Maj. 
Robert F. Massey, a veteran of the War, whose home was in 
Toronto, Canada. He assisted in the Liberty Loan and rendered 
valuable assistance in arousing the people to their duty. 

We also had with us Prof. Sol Clark of the University of 
Chicago. Later the Canadian Government supplied the Four- 
Minute Men with another veteran of the trenches. He was 
Maj. Carson McCormick. He made a great speech at Liberty 
Hall, Little Rock; he also went to Van Buren and addressed a 
large audience there. He returned to Little Rock and I accom- 
panied him in the interest of the Fourth Liberty Loan Compaign 
as far south as Texarkana. 

Everywhere we were received with enthusiasm, and his plain, 
straightforward talks, telling his experience in the trenches aroused 
the people to intense enthusiasm. 

We also had among our speakers the Junior Four-Minute 
Men, of the high schools over the State. Many of these boys 
made excellent impressions when they appeared before an audience. 
In the city of Little Rock the following boys made speeches: 

Alan Altheimer, Morris Sanders, 

Eugene Dimon, Isadore Spitzberg, 

Stanley Florsheim, and several others. 
Miriam Kaufman, 

D — Speakers' Bureau. 

A Speakers' Bureau was also established under the chairman- 
ship of Mr. Remmel, and in response to the request for volunteers 



Arkansas State Couxcil of Defense 15 

who would make patriotic addresses when called upon, a large num- 
ber of prominent business and professional men all over the State 
were enrolled and rendered a magnificent service. This commit- 
tee called upon the circuit judges to open their courts with patriotic 
programs, and they gladly did so. 

E — Loyalty Week. 
Under the direction of the State Council, the week of Decem- 
ber 26, 1917, to January 1, 1918, was observed all over the State 
as "Loyalty Week." Patriotic meetings were held in practically 
every schoolhouse in the State. The State Council prepared and 
sent out a program for these meetings and called upon Governor 
Brough and Mr. Remmel to prepare a patriotic address for the 
occasion, which was printed and sent in quantities to all County 
Councils and all Loyalty Week speakers for use at these meetings. 

F — Liberty Choruses. 
The value of patriotic songs was realized, and under the able 
and industrious leadership of Mr. Fred G. Smith of Fort Smith, 
who served as State Chairman, Liberty Choruses were organized 
all over the State, prepared to furnish music for all patriotic meet- 
ings. Our people learned to know and love our national songs 
and their loyalty was inspired by the many song programs given by 
the Liberty Choruses. Credit must be given to Mrs. H. H. 
Foster of Little Rock, who began this work and who secured for 
the State Council Mr. Smith's valuable service. 

G — German-Speaking Population. 
In order to reach everybody with the publicity work, five 
prominent citizens of German origin were appointed as a commit- 
tee to serve with Chairman England to plan to spread patriotic 
education among our German-speaking population. This com- 
mittee consisted of August Probst, Rev. A. H. Poppe, Fred Ross- 
ner, A. Karcher and Carl Meurer, all of Little Rock. It rendered 
valuable assistance, and through the pages of the Arkansas Echo, a 
German weekly, rallied the German-speaking people to a loyal 
support of all war work. 

War Conferences. 
Closely allied with the publicity work are the State-wide war 
conferences held in Little Rock. 



16 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

The first was held just after the Council of Defense work 
had been undertaken, June 28, 1917, and was attended by delegates 
from a great many county councils. Its sessions were devoted 
largely to a discussion of the field of work of the Council of De- 
fense system and a discussion of the service to be rendered. 

At the time of the second conference, December 20, 1917, 
both the Woman's Division for Arkansas of the Council of Na- 
tional Defense and the Four-Minute Men accepted invitations to 
hold conferences of their county chairmen in joint sessions with the 
chairmen of the County Councils of Defense. Practically every 
county in the State was represented by one or more delegates, and 
a splendid series of helpful discussions covering every phase of the 
work was had. The Council of National Defense was repre- 
sented by Mr. John H. Winterbotham of Chicago, who gave a 
very instructive presentation of the nature of the Council of De- 
fense work and methods for doing it. The national organization 
of Four-Minute Men sent Prof. Sol Clark of the University of 
Chicago, who gave valuable counsel to the Arkansas Four-Minute 
Men and delivered an eloquent address at a great patriotic meet- 
ing which concluded the conference. Much interest was aroused 
by speeches made by American, French and English army officers. 

A third conference planned for December, 1918, was rendered 
unnecessary by the signing of the armistice. 

CONSERVATION WORK. 

A — Food Production. 

The State Council entered heartily upon all of the campaigns 
for the conservation of natural resources and placed the whole 
Council of Defense sj'stem at the service of the agencies working 
to increase the production of food. Among these campaigns was 
the campaign in 1917, which resulted in a greatly enlarged wheat 
acreage throughout the State, This was followed up by the ap- 
pointment of men in each county who should render assistance in 
the harvesting and threshing of this wheat to the end that waste 
be reduced to a minimum. The Council of Defense assisted in the 
splendid work done by the Co-operative Extension Division under 
the supervision of Mr. W. C. Lassetter of the University of Ark- 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 17 

ansas, and Mr. C. W. Watson, State agent for the United States 
Department of Agriculture. During this campaign written 
pledges were taken from the farmers to raise a stipulated acreage 
in food crops, and the slogan, "Let Arkansas Feed Herself," was 
fully realized, and a surplus was raised. This work was com- 
pleted by a follow-up campaign to determine how many of the 
farmers were redeeming their pledges. Patriotic cards to be posted 
on the house or the front gate were given to those farmers who 
carried out their pledges. As a result of this work, the Arkansas 
farmers rendered a definite and valuable contribution to the war 
strength of the Nation. 

B — Rice Harvesters. 

The selective service took a great many men from the farms 
and the rice growers sent an urgent call to the State Council to 
secure immediately one thousand laborers to harvest the rice crop, 
which was in danger of being lost. Mr. W. G. Sprague, chair- 
man of the State Council Committee of Labor, sent requests to ail 
parts ci the State for laborers for this work, and secured for the 
rice growers ample men to harvest the crop and to save them from 
loss. 

C — Use of Unpolished Rice. 

In this connection, the State Council investigated the use of 
unpolished rice as a food, and found that unpolished rice has a 
greater nutritive value than polished rice. This matter was pre- 
sented to the National Food Administration, and resulted in a 
campaign for the use of unpolished rice, thus saving the cost of 
polishing rice and releasing the men employed in that work. 

D — Campaign Against Use of Veal. 

In order that the supply of meat should be increased, the State 
Council inaugurated a campaign against the use of veal. This 
campaign met with a State-wide response. 

E — Commercial Economy. 

The State Council took up in large cities the program in 
commercial economy outlined by the Council of National Defense 
which resulted in the curtailment of free deliveries, thus releasing 
men for war work and reducing the cost to the consumer. They 



18 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

also secured from the bakers of the State an agreement not to 
allow the return of bread and by this means saved a great deal of 
wheat that had been wasted under the practice of allowing stale 
bread to be returned. The practice of allowing the return by the 
retail dry goods stores was also discouraged as being wasteful. 

F — War Gardens. 

In order that full advantage might be taken of the daylight 
savings law, the State Council called upon business houses all over 
the State to close at 6 o'clock in the afternoon in order that their 
employees might have the opportunity to cultivate war gardens. 

G — Tick Eradication. 

The State Council took active steps to assist in the enforce- 
ment of the tick eradication work and not only secured for the 
agencies in charge of this work the co-operation of the county 
councils but at various times in different parts of the State fur- 
nished from its own membership legal assistance to resist injunc- 
tion suits brought to hinder the tick eradication program. Through 
the influence of the State Council a number of attorneys who had 
been in the habit of accepting employment to thwart the efforts 
to enforce laws were convinced of the practical benefit resulting 
from the work and agreed to advise their clients to comply with 
the law. 

H — Conservation of Live Stock. 

The State Council of Defense started and fostered a cam- 
paign for the conservation of live stock by undertaking to prevent 
the losses resulting from stock being killed on railroad right-of- 
ways. This work met with a hearty response both from the 
railroads and from the public. The railroads were called upon 
to repair their gates and fences and then the co-operation of the 
public was asked to keep the gates closed and to keep the stock off 
the right-of-way. Over three hundred citizens recommended by 
the County Councils of Defense were appointed by the State 
Council as special agents in charge of this work. These agents 
entered upon their duties with enthusiasm. They interviewed 
stock owners up and down the railroads and secured their prom- 
ises to keep their gates closed and their stock away from the rail- 
road right-of-ways. In addition, the State Council sent letters to 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 19 

all stock owners who had suffered losses calling their attention to 
the enormous totals of the annual losses in the State and asking 
their pledges to co-operate in this conservation work. It was 
gratifying to observe that in practically every case the stock owner 
signed and returned a pledge to co-operate in this work. Posters 
were printed and distributed showing the annual losses, and calling 
upon everybody to help stop the unnecessary waste. The work 
was carried into the schools and the interest of the children 
aroused. In the State Council files are letters from teachers in- 
forming us that their children have driven stock off of right-of- 
ways and closed open gates. 

It was found that a great deal of the loss occurred inside of 
town limits where the right-of-ways could not be fenced. In order 
to meet this, the State Council prepared a model ordinance pro- 
hibiting the running at large of stock, and through the special 
agents the passage of this ordinance as a war measure was secured 
in many towns. These agents also devoted time to securing by the 
proper officials the enforcement of all stock laws already in exist- 
ence. 

This work resulted in such a marked decrease in the losses 
of live stock that it attracted the attention of the National Food 
Administration, and similar campaigns were undertaken in many 
other States. The success of the work resulted from the energy 
of the special agents and the desire of the people to help save food. 

STATE PROTECTION. 
A — Home Guards. 

As soon as the National Guard was called into Federal service, 
the State Council realized the need of a home guard. Gen. J. R. 
Gibbons, who was chairman of the committee on State protection, 
undertook to form a home guard organization in every county in 
the State. In this work valuable assistance was given by the 
Adjutant General's department of the State Government. The 
work progressed so favorably that practically every county had 
at least one or more companies of home guards who were under 
the command of officers commissioned by the State and who drilled 
regularly. It can not be doubted that the well known fact that 
this force was immediately available for the preservation of order 



20 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

tended to prevent outbreaks or disturbances during the confusion 
necessarily attendant upon raising a large army. This committee 
also advocated military training in all schools and colleges. 

B — Fire Protection. 

Mr. J. S. Speed, chairman of the committee on fire protection, 
called attention to the needs of guards for cotton compresses and 
other industrial plants, and the State Council called upon all com- 
panies operating such plants to keep their premises brightly lighted 
at night and to have guards posted. These precautions were car- 
ried out with the result that there were few instances in which 
Arkansas industries suflFered from arson or other forms of law- 
lessness. 

C — Flood Protection. 

During the flood season this committee also called upon those 
counties that had levees to arrange for guards and patrols to pre- 
vent any damage to the levees which would weaken them and 
menace the farm lands they protected. 

D — Fruit Tree Frauds. 

The State Council, at the suggestion of the Co-operative Exten- 
sion Division forces, launched an active campaign to protect the 
farmer from fraud being practiced by fruit tree agents which 
resulted in a substantial saving to the farmers of the State, and 
insured the planting of stock protected from diseases. 

E — Suppression of Disloyalty and Sedition. 

In order to meet the many complaints of disloyal and sedi- 
tious utterances for which there was no adequate law, the State 
Council prepared a model ordinance punishing disloyal or seditious 
acts and utterances. This ordinance was sent to the county coun- 
cils and its passage by many municipal councils afforded a method 
to suppress those people who undertook to obstruct the draft law 
or other Government activities. The county councils also had 
special committees to investigate alleged instances of disloyalty or 
sedition and to report those cases that needed attention to the 
United States District Attorney. 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 21 

F — Civilian State Rifle Shoot. 

Mr. W. G. Brasher, a member of the State Council, took 
an active interest in promoting marksmanship in this State, and 
to that end secured from the State Council an appropriation to 
make a State rifle shoot possible by paying the expenses of travel 
and subsistence of civilians in attendance. From those who took 
part, a team was selected to represent the State at the national 
meeting held at Caldwell, N. J. 

STATE WELFARE WORK. 

A — Educational. 

The State Council encouraged and supported a campaign to 
maintain the educational standards of the State, and a campaign 
conducted by the colleges of the State to secure increased college 
attendance. It was recognized that the State could not afford to 
neglect the future of its young people and that widespread higher 
education would be needed to solve problems arising after the war. 
The State Council also called upon the county councils to assist 
in the enforcement of the requirement that all school children be 
vaccinated, and in the enforcement of the school attendance law. 
State Superintendent J. L. Bond, a member of the State Council 
of Defense, was State chairman of the committee in charge of 
these activities. 

Mr. Bond makes a report on the war work done by the 
schools of the State as follows : 

The schools served as convenient and efifective units for the 
organization and operation of all war working forces. The coun- 
try afl^orded no more faithful and efficient leadership in war work 
than the teachers proved to be, and there were no more patriotic 
and enthusiastic workers than the school children were. 

The schools were ready with their liberal contributions and 
the hard work necessary to put over the first Red Cross Drive. 
They continued in this work throughout the war. 

Not only did they do great work for the Red Cross, but they 
organized thousands of Junior Red Cross societies, which were very 
effective in war relief work. 



22 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

The leaders in the Liberty Loan drives used the schools effec- 
tively in getting the information to the desired people. In addition 
many schools bought Liberty Bonds. 

The schools probably made their greatest direct contribution 
to the war in the systematic purchase of Thrift Stamps and War 
Savings Stamps. The children not only bought these stamps, but 
they were the best agents for selling them. 

The schools took the lead in the drive for securing suitable 
reading matter for the soldier boys, also in the drive to secure fruits 
and sweets for the soldiers. 

The important work of food production and food conservation 
was kept constantly before the people through the school children. 
Children were uniformly ready to deny themselves of any war 
necessity, and as far as possible to engage in active production of 
food products. 

The teachers and school children were active leaders in all 
other war work campaigns, such as Y. M. C. A. drive, the United 
War Work campaign, the Give-a-Bushel campaign, and the drive 
for the conservation of fuel. 

It is probable that the school did no greater work than to 
serve as a medium for the dissemination of war information and 
the propaganda so necessary in arousing the country to the degree 
of patriotism necessary to win the war. 

The schools were in the war from the beginning. They 
were patriotic to the point of sacrifice of both work and personal 
needs. They are still active in all the work that is being con- 
tinued to carry out our war obligations and to relieve the pressure 
of war conditions. They have been faithful and they can always 
be depended upon. 

B — Health. 

Dr. C. W. Garrison, secretary of the State Board of Health, 
was chairman of the State Committee on Health Conditions. This 
committee rendered a great service in its educational campaign 
against venereal diseases and epidemics, especially the "Flu" epi- 
demic of the fall of 1918. This committee also investigated the 
moral conditions surrounding Camp Pike, and by giving publicity 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 23 

to the result of its investigation corrected harmful and erroneous 
reports that were being circulated. 

Doctor Garrison reports as follows: 

I have the honor to submit herewith a brief statement as to 
the activities in Arkansas tending to promote public health as a 
war measure as well as a general policy. 

Immediately on being appointed as the medical member of 
the State Council of Defense, I proceeded to organize every agency 
in the State, in so far as possible, which could be utilized in the 
control of all cases of communicable disease and reduce the inci- 
dence of same to the end that every available able-bodied person 
might do his full share in whatever avocation he might choose, 
and also to make available the maximum number of men for the 
army. 

For effective public health work, laboratory facilities must 
be available for prompt and accurate diagnoses in order that con- 
tagious diseases may be isolated and quarantined. To that end 
the personnel of the Hygienic Laboratory of the State Board of 
Health has been increased and additional equipment secured. 

The State council of Defense went on record soon after its 
organization as endorsing every activity of the State Board of 
Health and assisted especially in the organization and the operation 
of a Bureau of Venereal Disease Control, as these diseases were 
recognized early by the war authorities as being one of the greatest 
factors in reducing the efficiency of the men as well as contribut- 
ing tremendously to the cost of operation. Following a request 
from the State Council of Defense, the Governor issued a defi- 
ciency proclamation for $1,000 as an emergency fund until the 
Legislature could convene. An appeal was also sent out to the 
county judges and the larger cities of the State requesting contri- 
butions for this bureau, which received an immediate response. 
The funds thus available enabled Arkansas to begin an active 
campaign against venereal diseases as requested by the Federal 
Government, it being among the first eight States in the Union 
to take up this work in co-operation with the Government. Rules 
and regulations governing the control of venereal diseases were 
promulgated by the State Board of Health, which require that all 



24 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

physicians report venereal disease cases by number to the State 
Health Officer, except in the case of prostitutes whose names and 
addresses shall be submitted. All druggists are required to record 
the names and addresses of persons purchasing drugs for the treat- 
ment of venereal diseases and forward same to the State Health 
Officer. These names were immediately turned over to the field 
agents and an effort made to place all infected persons either 
under medical supervision or quarantine. As result of this cam- 
paign, about fifty per cent of the druggists throughout the State 
signed a pledge not to sell any venereal disease nostrums or reme- 
dies except when prescribed by physicians. 

Clinics were established for the free treatment of venereal 
patients and isolation hospitals provided for the detention and 
treatment of prostitutes who were infected. 

As a matter of course, it was impossible to secure complete 
reports of all infected cases in the beginning of the campaign or 
even at a later date, so that any deductions made by comparison 
which might show favorable results probably would be misleading, 
but there is one significant outstanding fact, and that is that the 
number of infected men under the last million was much less than 
that under the first million drafted, and it is rightly contended that 
it was due to the campaign of repression and education. Public 
sentiment rapidly molded in favor of this campaign as evidenced 
by the attitude of the Arkansas General Assembly in making an 
appropriation of $34,237.48 for this purpose, which was requested 
by the Government and which enabled the State to receive a simi- 
lar amount through the Chamberlain-Kahn Act of Congress. 

With the approval of the Council of Defense, over the signa- 
ture of its chairman, Adjutant General Lloyd England, and its 
director, Hon. Wallace Townsend, countersigned by the Gov- 
ernor, Charles H. Brough, and the undersigned, an appeal was 
sent to the various County Councils of Defense, urging close co- 
operation with the local health authorities in all matters affecting 
public health, and to this appeal a ready response followed. 

It is desired also to give honorable mention to the business 
men's clubs, the Rotary Clubs, various women's organizations and 
to the medical profession for their hearty support during these 
trying times. 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 25 

Immediately following the establishment of Camp Pike at 
Little Rock, and at the request of the writer, the United States 
Public Health Service assumed administrative jurisdiction not only 
over the extra cantonment zone at Camp Pike, and later Eberts 
Field, but of the two counties, Pulaski and Lonoke, in which these 
camps were situated. Too much can not be said in behalf of the 
Public Health Service for the manner in which it assisted not only 
in these areas but throughout the entire State. No request was 
made on Surgeon General Rupert Blue which was not granted, 
and owing to the fact that the Little Rock Board of Commerce 
appropriated $50,000 for malaria control. Little Rock enjoys the 
distinction of being the city where the first organization was per- 
fected and put in operation by the Public Health Service, whereby 
all health agencies' and activities were co-ordinated and placed 
under one administrative head which contributed a great deal to 
the efficient and effective methods of control in the extra canton- 
ment zones. As a recognition of this effective organization, Little 
Rock was designated as a training school for other medical and 
sanitary officers who were to be detailed to other camps and can- 
tonments throughout the country. 

In addition to the money appropriated by the Board of Com- 
merce, the Federal Government expended over $100,000 in per- 
sonnel, equipment and material which was utilized and expended 
not only in this immediate vicinity but in making rural sanitary 
surveys, investigations and demonstrations. 

As vaccination is one of the effective methods of reducing the 
incidence of smallpox, a special effort was made to vaccinate every 
one in a district where smallpox occurred, and especially those 
working in the industrial plants and construction gangs, and school 
children. Over 300,000 persons were vaccinated against smallpox 
during the life of the council, and over 25,000 vaccinated against 
typhoid fever. Special effort was made to examine all water and 
food supplies, especially where there was probability of infecting 
the soldiers or sailors, and, as result, many water supplies, several 
bottling plants and food establishments were closed. 

It was during the latter months of the war, and consequently 
of the life of the State Council of Defense, that the severest epi- 
demic ever known was visited upon this country — the influenza 



26 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

epidemic — which exacted as its toll some seven thousand citizens 
of Arkansas in lives lost and affected approximately one-fourth of 
the entire population. The epidemic taxed to the utmost capacity 
not only every available resource of the Federal and State Health 
Departments, but of every citizen in the country, and while ap- 
parently little was accomplished in attempting to limit or control 
this epidemic, Arkansas is purported to have put into operation 
the most effective quarantine of any State. If this is so, it was due 
largely to the spirit of co-operation which had been manifested by 
the various County Councils of Defense and other agencies aiding 
in the execution of the health regulations. 

While the State Council of Defense has now passed into his- 
tory and ceased to function, its influence for good in furthering 
public health work, and thus contributing to a higher standard of 
manhood, will continue to live. 

C — Labor. 

One of the big problems the State Council was called on to 
undertake was to find a solution for labor shortage in the State. 
Under the chairmanship of Mr. W. G. Sprague, labor reserves, 
both for farm and industrial work, were created. The State 
Council also drafted a model ordinance to suppress vagrancy and 
idleness. After the work or fight order was promulgated, the 
State Council drafted a comprehensive plan to prevent idleness and 
vagrancy, and to secure adequate labor for the industrial plants of 
the State. This plan was approved and put in operation in many 
counties in the State with the result that the shortage of labor 
occasioned by men being called to army and navy service was 
relieved by making available a great quantity of labor that was 
unemployed. Valuable assistance was rendered by the United 
States emploj'ment service under the direction of Major R. B. 
Keating, and a report of his work will be set out later. 

D — Highways. 

Through the assistance of the State Council, permission was 
secured from the National Priority Board and Capital Issues Com- 
mittee to proceed with the construction of the Arkansas-Louisiana 
Highway. ' 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 27 

In order to relieve transportation, the State Council appointed 
a committee to investigate the practicability of motor truck trans- 
portation, and acting upon the report of this committee, endorsed 
and encouraged the use of motor truck transportation to relieve 
the congested condition of railroad facilities. 

E — Fuel Shortage. 

In order to relieve the shortage of fuel, the State Council 
endorsed the work of the State Fuel Administration in undertaking 
to secure wherever available the use of wood instead of coal as fuel. 

F — Closing Pool Rooms. 

The State Council regarded pool rooms as a menace to the 
morals of the young men and productive of habits of idleness. 
County councils were called upon to undertake the passage of ordi- 
nances closing pool rooms during the war and met with much suc- 
cess in this. 

G — Girls' Industrial Home. 

The State Council, by advancing the preliminary expenses 
of the campaign, made possible the successful State-wide cam- 
paign, which raised funds to establish an industrial home for girls. 

H — Support of Agricultural Work. 

The State Council endorsed the Co-operative Extension Work 
and called upon the county councils to assist in securing appropria- 
tions from the county quorum courts for this work in each county. 
In addition, by letters and by telegrams direct from headquarters, 
appeals were made to the various justices of the peace in the coun- 
ties urging their support for these appropriations. 

SHIP BUILDING. 

Arkansas was called upon to furnish 2,500 men for service in 
the ship building yards of the country. Mr. W. G. Sprague was 
placed in charge of this work, and secured the enlistment of over 
3,200 men who held themselves in readiness to accept ship yard 
employment whenever called upon. 



28 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

This work was followed by the United States employment 
reserve, by means of which a large number of volunteers were 
secured who agreed to hold themselves available for employment 
in war industries wherever and whenever needed. 

ASSISTANCE TO THE SELECTIVE SERVICE BOARDS. 

A — Cards and Questionnaires. 

The State Council called upon the county councils to co- 
operate with the local exemption boards in the work of classifying 
the cards of the registered men and especially the occupation cards. 
The lawyers of the State were called upon to assist both the 
boards and the drafted men in handling the questionnaires and in 
order that they might do this the courts of the State were asked 
to adjourn during the time devoted to filling out questionnaires. 
The lawyers of the State responded promptly to the request for 
assistance, and devoted a great deal of time to this work. 

B — Drill for Class A Men. 

The State Council arranged to have all Class A-1 men who 
desired to do so drill with the home guards in preparation for the 
time when they should be called into service. 

C — Detection of Deserters and Delinquents. 

Through the agency of the county and community councils, 
assistance was rendered the local exemption boards in the detection 
of deserters and delinquents. Later these same agencies assisted 
the War Department in locating and securing the return of men 
absent without leave or in desertion. 

ASSISTANCE TO GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES. 

A — Food Pledge Cards. 

Before the appointment of a Federal Food Administrator for 
Arkansas the State Council had printed and supervised the distri- 
bution of 75,000 food pledge cards, and after his appointment 
placed its entire organization at the service of Mr. Hamp Wil- 
liams, Food Administrator for Arkansas. 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 29 

B — Campaigns. 

The State Council tendered its assistance in the various 
Liberty Loan campaigns and all campaigns of national scope. 

State Superintendent J. L. Bond and Mr. Moorhead Wright, 
State Director of the W. S. S., both members of the State Council, 
prepared and distributed among the school children of the State 
a catechism on war savings stamps, and in support of the thrift 
campaign. Through the community councils it rendered the W. 
S. S. organization assistance in reaching the entire State in order 
that Arkansas' quota of W. S. S. would be fully subscribed. 

The State Council assisted in securing doctors for the Med- 
ical Reserve Corps and financed the volunteer Medical Reserve 
through which Arkansas' quota of doctors for military service was 
secured. 

C — Opera and Field Glasses. 

At the request of the War Department, it secured photo- 
graphs of war activities, made known the War Department's call 
for opera and field glasses and issued a proclamation to stimulate 
recruiting both in the regular army and the national guard before 
the national army was formed. 

D — Alien Property. 

Through the county councils, assistance was rendered the 
Alien Property Custodian in locating alien owned property in the 
State of Arkansas. 

SOLICITATION OF FUNDS. 

Through a committee of which Mr. Joe W. House, Jr., a 

member of the council, was chairman, all organizations engaged 
in soliciting funds for war purposes were investigated, and only 
those that were approved were endorsed and authorized to make 
campaigns for funds. This committee also undertook to co-ordi- 
nate the work of various organizations and societies to the end 
that there would be no unnecessary duplication of efforts. It 
formulated and made available, for those communities that wanted 
it, a plan of raising a war chest fund, thus reducing the necessity 
for frequent and different campaigns. 



30 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

SERVICE TO SOLDIERS AND SAILORS. 

The State Council called upon the county councils to hold 
local celebrations in honor of drafted men who were leaving for 
the service in order that these men might be encouraged by the 
knowledge that their sacrifice was honored by their own people. 

In co-operation with the American and State Bar Associations 
and the American Red Cross, legal committees were formed in 
every county whose services were available for both the local ex- 
emption boards and the drafted men. These legal committees 
assisted the drafted men in setting their business affairs in order, 
arranging for the welfare of their families during their absence 
and held meetings of instructions in order that they might be intel- 
ligently prepared for military service. In those counties where the 
Red Cross had home service committees, the State Council legal 
committees worked in co-operation with the Red Cross. 

The 142d Field Artillery, composed almost entirely of Ark- 
ansas men under the command of Arkansas officers, was the only 
military organization from this State that returned from France 
practically intact as originally organized and mustered into service, 
at which time it was known as the Second Regiment of the Ark- 
ansas National Guards. This regiment was among the last to 
return. 

In recognition of the splendid record of these men, and as 
evidence of the State's affection and pride, the State Council sent 
Major H. F. Fredeman, Assistant Adjutant General, to meet 
them at Newport News, Virginia, and to welcome and to entertain 
them in the name of the State of Arkansas. 

Major Fredeman represented Arkansas most graciously, and 
after receiving and welcoming them, accompanied them to Camp 
Pike, where they were honorably discharged. 

When Secretary Lane proposed a plan for providing farms 
for those returned soldiers and sailors who desired to become 
farmers, the State Council appointed a special committee, of 
which Fred Heiskell was chairman, to co-operate in this work. 
This committee makes a report of its work, as follows: 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 3i 

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FARMS FOR 
RETURNED SOLDIERS AND SAILORS. 

Your committee consisted of the following: 
Fred Heiskell, chairman, Little Rock, Ark. 
Leo Andrews, Pine Bluii, Ark. 
Allan Kennedy, Fort Smith, Ark. 
Bruce Campbell, Helena, Ark. 
Henry Moore, Jr., Texarkana, Ark. 
Gen. Lloyd England, Little Rock, Ark. 
E. J. Bodman, Little Rock, Ark. 

C. T. Coleman, Little Rock, Ark. 
M. W. Hardy, Little Rock, Ark. 

D. C. Welty, Little Rock, Ark. 

The services of D. C. Welty, Commissioner of Agriculture 
of the Missouri Pacific Railroad, were loaned to the Arkansas 
State Council of Defense by Mr. Alexander Robertson, Federal 
manager, and following the visit of Mr. D. W. Ross of the 
Reclamation Service, Mr. Welty, sent out several thousand ques- 
tionnaires, with the result that eighty-six large land owners in 
thirty-six counties submitted questionnaires covering 3,600,000 
acres of land. A specimen of one of the questionnaire blanks is 
attached herewith. Of this acreage approximately 2,000,000 acres 
were inspected and comprehensively reported on, as per copy of 
report blank attached, by five field agents, two of whom were land 
and colonization experts loaned by the Missouri Pacific Railroad, 
one an agronomist and one an agriculturist, who have been until 
recently with the Arkansas Agricultural College, and one a civil 
engineer who has had considerable experience throughout the allu- 
vial part of the State. 

To check the dependability of prices named in questionnaires, 
legally binding options were secured on a large scale. The area 
thus covered was 625,000 acres. The investigations showed that 
it would be possible to deal on a definite basis at prices generally 
lower than those set forth in the questionnaires, for it was diffi- 
cult to get rock bottom prices because of lack of definite informa- 
tion regarding terms of payment, interest rates and ultimate pro- 



32 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

visions of the then pending income tax as to excess profit and other 
taxes, and the impracticability in the limited time of seeing per- 
sonally all those in authority. In several cases only nominal prices 
were secured. In many cases, owners in conversation suggested 
lower prices than those contained in the options given. 

There are three tracts in the alluvial area and six in the 
coastal plain area which are considered most adaptable of the lands 
thus far offered under option. These were given a second inspec- 
tion by a committee consisting of Mr. D. C. Welty, Commissioner 
of Agriculture of the Missouri Pacific Railroad ; Gen. Lloyd Eng- 
land, Cashier of the England National Bank of Little Rock, and 
Chairman of the Arkansas State Council of Defense, and Mr. C. 
W. Watson, Assistant Director of Agricultural Extension of the 
Arkansas Agricultural College. 

As the actual investigation and classification of land was going 
on, Mr. Welty, with the assistance of Miss Blaisdell, prepared a 
comprehensive set of maps showing the actual location and owner- 
ship of each tract on individual county maps, also showing the 
general location and ownership of individual tracts in individual 
colors on a State map, and with the assistance of Mr. C. W. Wat- 
son and Mr. W. C. Lassetter, of the Agricultural College, made 
a State map classifying all the offerings as to general soil types. 
All records and maps were made in duplicate, and when com- 
pleted the originals were carried to New Orleans by Mr. Welty 
and delivered in person to Mr. Ross, in charge of the Southern 
States' investigation. 

The Department of the Interior was very anxious that the 
work of land inspection and classification be rushed, and during 
the rush of classifying, platting and eliminating the great acreage 
offered for consideration, three stenographers, the assistance of one 
of the field men, as well as the entire force of Miss Blaisdell's 
office, were required to assist Mr. Welty. 

Early in November a committee, consisting of Mr. Fred Heis- 
kell, E. J. Bodman, John H. Page and D. C. Welty, went to 
Savannah, Georgia, to attend a meeting of the Southern Land 
Congress, called for the purpose of advancing the Farms for Sol- 
diers project, and it was deemed advisable for us to be represented. 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 33 

as both Secretary Lane and Dr. Elwood Mead were to speak re- 
garding the project in general and the legislation which was 
being formulated. Your committee had several personal con- 
ferences with Doctor Mead, which gave it a very valuable insight 
into the subject as a whole. 

As a result of the comprehensive and attractive manner in 
which Arkansas' opportunities were presented to the Department 
of the Interior, and in view of the rapid progress made, Arkansas 
being the first State to complete its investigation and having the 
most comprehensive and attractive records, Mr. Heiskell was called 
to Washington for personal conference with Secretary Lane, and 
he and Mr. Welty took the committee's copies of all Arkansas 
records to Washington and spent a day in conference with Secre- 
tary Lane and Mr. H. T. Cory, whom Secretary Lane had dele- 
gated to work in the Southern States. 

Congressman H. M. Jacoway rendered very valuable assist- 
ance to Mr. Heiskell and Mr. Welty in handling matters in Wash- 
ington, with the result that your committee gained very valuable 
information for the guidance of the work in Arkansas, and Sec- 
retary Lane and Mr. Cory seemed very appreciative of the sugges- 
tions given them regarding the practical working out and financing 
of the project. , 

Later your committee rendered the Department of the Inte- 
rior a report on the Arkansas work, which report was the basis 
for the Arkansas report which Mr. Cory prepared for the Con- 
gressional Committee. Mr. Cory submitted this report to our 
committee, who held several meetings for discussion and revision 
of the report, with the result that it was whipped into satisfactory 
shape to do justice to the Arkansas situation, and in addition to 
the endorsement of the report by the Arkansas committee, we 
secured for Mr. Cory the endorsement of Dean Martin Nelson, 
Dean of the Arkansas Agricultural College and Director of the 
Agricultural Experiment Station, and of Mr. Jim G. Ferguson, 
State Commissioner of Agriculture. 

The records of your committee have been kept intact, ready 
for immediate action in the event congressional action is taken 
and the Department of the Interior makes further demands tor 
co-operation in working out the plan in Arkansas. 



34 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

NONWAR CONSTRUCTION. 

At the request of the Council of National Defense, the State 
Council appointed a commitee on nonwar construction work, who 
make the following report: 

The Government deeming it necessary to conserve and con- 
trol for strictly war purposes all labor and material throughout 
the United States, asked that all general building work not relat- 
ing directly to war needs be postponed indefinitely and asked the 
creation throughout the Nation of the Nonwar Construction 
Department of the Council of Defense and an organization there- 
under to accomplish this result. 

Immediately following the request of the National Council 
the State Council appointed Chas. L. Thompson, a prominent 
architect, as chairman for the State. The State Committee on 
Nonwar Construction was organized, composed of Chas. L. 
Thompson, chairman; Geo. B. Pugh, secretary, and Messrs. J. R. 
Vinson, T. E. Burrow and G. H. Lyon. 

A complete organization under the State committee was 
effected, extending into the greater number of counties, the local 
organizations in every case doing efficient and loyal work for the 
Nation. 

Bulletins governing the amount and types of buildings to be 
authorized or disapproved were regularly received and distributed 
and control immediately established. The result desired by the 
Government followed. The effect of the work of the organiza- 
tion throughout the State was gratifying in the efficiency of the 
control obtained. 

Immediately after the signing of the armistice the strin- 
gency of the regulations previously governing abated and shortly 
thereafter orders were issued canceling all nonwar construction 
control. 

Supplies and effects were collected, and with the resigna- 
tions of the chairman and committees were filed with the Council 
of Defense. 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 35 

FOOD ADMINISTRATION. 

Mr. Hamp Williams of Hot Springs, a member of the State 
Council, was appointed Federal Food Administrator for Arkansas. 
Mr. Williams immediately left his personal and business affairs 
to devote his whole time to the immense amount of work to be 
done. His enthusiasm was contagious, and he built up a splendid 
working organization throughout the State. He has made a 
report, but his report does not adequately describe the great service 
he rendered. Mr. Williams, by his earnestness and tact, secured a 
cheerful co-operation from everybody and a willing compliance to 
the food regulations. Arkansas saved food to win the war. 

His report follows: 

Arkansas led all other States in the observance of the Food 
Administration rules. When the Allied Nations cabled President 
Wilson, in January, 1918, that they had only eight weeks' supply 
of wheat, and it was found upon investigation that the United 
States had only twenty million bushels surplus wheat over and 
above our normal consumption of forty-two million bushels per 
month, and since it required twenty million bushels per month 
to supply their needs, we realized that the time and the necessity 
for quick action and great sacrifices had come and were imperative. 

Mr. Hoover called together in Washington all the food ad- 
ministrators from the States and laid the matter before them, 
and in answer they said to Mr. Hoover, "Confiscate all the wheat 
necessary and ship it to our Allies and we will make out on what 
is left." Mr. Hoover's answer was, "The kaiser might adopt 
such methods, but it is not necessary to do that in the United 
States," and that it was only necessary to request the American 
people to use fifty per cent less wheat, and they would do so, and 
that is when the fifty per cent substitute rule went into effect. 

Arkansas citizens not only restricted their buying and con- 
sumption to fifty per cent of wheat flour, but those who had bought 
more than their allowance up to that time returned their surplus 
to the dealer, from whom they had purchased it, and that flour 
was shipped across to the Allied Nations. When our harvest 
came seven months later, Mr. Hoover called us together again 
and made the announcement that in the short period of seven 



36 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

months we had saved and shipped to the Allies one hundred and 
sixty million bushels, which was half of our prewar normal con- 
sumption, and that Arkansas had returned more flour from origi- 
nal purchases, which was shipped to our Allies, than all the other 
States combined, totaling forty thousand five hundred and sixty 
barrels, or one hundred twenty-nine car loads. 

This is not all of the great sacrifices that were made by the 
people of Arkansas. In September, 1918, General Pershing made 
an appeal to Mr. Hoover for more sweets for our American sol- 
diers in France. Arkansas' allotment of sugar for October, fol- 
lowing was four million pounds. We wired Mr. Hoover that 
we would cut our allotment of sugar twenty-five per cent for 
Christmas presents to our soldiers in France. He answered that 
he would have the sugar manufactured into candy and send it to 
them for Christmas presents, as we requested. We made the 
sacrifice, and the candy was manufactured and shipped, and upon 
each package was plainly printed the following words: 

"This candy manufactured from sugar allotted to us by the 
citizens of the State of Arkansas, from saving made by their pa- 
triotic efforts in favor of the A. E. F. in France." 

Several of these labels have been returned to citizens of Ark- 
ansas from our soldiers in France, expressing their gratitude for 
our great sacrifice. 

In addition to this, all other rules of conservation were obeyed. 
The hotels and boarding houses of Arkansas were complimented 
many times by the administration in Washington. 

We had less trouble with the handling of cotton seed and 
their by-products than any other State in the South. The pro- 
ducers, ginners, dealers and crushers worked in perfect harmony, 
and submitted graciously to every rule promulgated by the United 
States Food Administration. No other State in the Union can 
show a better record of sacrifice than can the great people of Ark- 
ansas, including the jobbers, brokers, retailers and manufacturers 
of food products. 

The housewives, men and children all deserve the highest 
praise. Religious, fraternal and social organizations of every kind 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 37 

and character, both colored and white, responded to the call of 
sacrifice and conservation to the very end. 

The county food administrators, whose efficient service made 
this great State record possible, are: 

J. M. Henderson, Jr., DeWitt. 
R. E. Holt, Stuttgart. 
D. E. Watson, Hamburg. 
I. J. Morris, Mountain Home. 
Ben Johnson, Bentonville. 

C. D. Allison, Harrison. 
W. T. Thompson, Warren. 

D. F. Wilson, Dr., Hampton. 
J. E. Simpson, Berryville. 

R. R. Thompson, Eureka Springs. 
W. S. Daniel, Dermott. 
Neill Sloan, Arkadelphia. 
C. L. Daniel, Corning. 
Ira C. Langley, Piggott. 

B. Massingill, Heber Springs. 
J. B. Searcy, Rison. 

T. H. Warner, Magnolia. 
M. H. Dean, Morrilton. 
A. J. Scott, Jonesboro. 
Sam R. Chew, Van Buren. 
T. P. Johnson, Earle. 
W. W. Shaver, Wynne. 
L. E. Purdy, Fordyce. 
K. G. Morley, McGehee. 
Ed H. Ahrens, Monticello. 

C. E. Durham, Conway. 
Will Hill, Ozark. 

T. A. Pettigrew, Charleston. 

Thad W. Rowden, Mammoth Springs. 

E. L. Hewlett, Hot Springs. 
R. R. Posey, Sheridan. 

C. W. Highfill, Paragould. 
J. D. Barlow, Hope. 
J. T. Archer, Malvern. 



38 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

Bert Johnson, Nashville. 

A. K. Goodnight, Batesville. 

Ed Billingsley, Melbourne. 

Geo. B. Irby, Newport. 

H. D. Coffee, Clarksville. 

Mack C. HoUis, Pine Bluff. 

R. L. Bradshaw, Lewisville. 

J. H. Washum, Imboden. 

H. W. Townsend, Walnut Ridge. 

J. M. Hewitt, Marianna. 

T. R. Richardson, Varner. 

Dr. A. N. Wood, Ashdown. 

W. A. Ratteree, Booneville. 

Jake M. Gates, Lonoke. 

J. B. Harris, Huntsville. 

J. H. Hand, Yellville. 

Paul Huckins, Texarkana. 

Aubrey Conway, Blytheville. 

S. L. Gladish, Osceola. 

W. J. Brown, Clarendon. 

A. H. Whitsett, Mt. Ida. 

S. R. Young, Prescott. 

T. P. Harrison, Vendor. 

E. M. McGill, Camden. 

S. V. Taylor, Perryville. 

J. H. Pillow, Helena. 

S. S. Langley, Murfreesboro. 

I. D. Walter, Harrisburg. 

C, T. Carpenter, Marked Tree. 

W. I. Green, Mena. 

J. B. Ward, Russellville. 

George A. Greer, Des Arc. 

Grover T. Owens, Little Rock. 

Wm. Carter, Pocahontas. 

Will Steed, Benton. 

C. E. Forrester, Waldron. 

Marshall Lack, Marshall. 

J. S. McCord, Greenwood. 

Allen Kennedy, Fort Smith. 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 39 

D. J. Autrey, De Queen. 
S. L. Evans, Sidney. 

W. O. Wadley, Hardy. 
H. A. Knight, Forrest City. 
L. P. Downey, Mountain View. 
J. K. Mahoney, El Dorado. 
W. M. Peel, Clinton. 

E. L. Nettleship, Fayetteville. 
Wm. Cooksey, Searcy. 

T. E. Bonner, Augusta. 
Dr. S. E. Miller, Dardanelle. 

FUEL ADMINISTRATION. 

In September, 1917, Mr. H. C. Couch, a member of the 
State Council, was appointed Federal Fuel Administrator for Ark- 
ansas and immediately entered upon the very complex duties of his 
office. Mr. Couch built up an efficient organization that included 
the whole State. The extremely cold weather of the winter of 
1917-18, accompanied by an unusual shortage in transportation 
facilities, threatened to work a severe hardship on the people of 
the State. Mr. Couch was in constant consultation with the coal 
operators, natural gas companies and railroad officials and succeeded 
in securing the allotment and transportation of sufficient fuel to 
prevent suffering or suspension of business. 

Through the efforts of Mr. Couch and his associates, a very 
successful campaign was carried on to induce the use of wood as 
a fuel to relieve the coal shortage. This was supplemented by 
other campaigns to conserve coal, notably the Tag-a-Shovel cam- 
paign, carried out through the school children. Mr. Couch dur- 
ing the spring and summer of 1918 prepared for the next winter 
by successful publicity campaigns to encourage early buying of 
coal, thus helping to keep the miners busy during a part of the year 
when ordinarily the mines are closed for want of orders and also 
enabling the consumer to be sure of his winter's supply at a reduced 
price. 

In trying to find a solution for the perplexing situation regard- 
ing the production of anthracite coal, which could not be mined 
unless there was a market for the slack coal produced, Mr. Couch 



40 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

entered into an arrangement with the coal operators whereby the 
Fuel Administration undertook to secure the use of slack by large 
manufacturing concerns and to sell to them this waste product 
under an agreement that the Fuel Administration should share in 
the sale price. The funds derived from this source to be used 
first to pay the expense of handling the coal, the expenses of the 
fuel administration in the State and the balance to be turned over 
to the State Council. In the execution of this plan, Mr. Couch 
was ably assisted by Mr. L. Garrett of Little Rock, who kept the 
records and reports, Mr. Henry Armistead, a prominent attorney 
of Little Rock, who drew the contracts and rendered legal advice, 
and Mr. M. M. McWilliams, president of the Spadra Clarksville 
Coal Company, who gave valuable and unselfish advice and in- 
formation concerning the production of coal and was of great help 
in the settlement of the different questions involved. 

By this plan, Mr. Couch was able to place at the service of 
the State Council the very handsome sum of $27,749.06, without 
which it would have had to abandon many important projects and 
especially its assistance through the United States Employment 
Service to returning soldiers, sailors and marines. 

Mr. Couch's splendid services were acknowledged by a spe- 
cial resolution adopted by the State Council on April 15, 1919. 

Resolutions of Thanks to Hon. H. C. Couch, Federal 
Fuel Administrator for the State of Arkansas. 

Whereas, Hon. H. C. Couch was appointed Federal Fuel 
Administrator for the State of Arkansas, and in that capacity has 
rendered a very valuable service both to our State and to our 
Nation, at the sacrifice of his own time and business interest ; and 

Whereas, Mr. Couch has conducted the work in such a splen- 
did manner that his administration has reflected great credit upon 
himself, the Arkansas State Council of Defense, and the State of 
Arkansas; and 

Whereas, In the course of his administration, Mr. Couch 
entered into an agreement with the anthracite coal operators of 
this State whereby the Federal Fuel Administration, for the ben- 
efit of the State Council of Defense, shared in the proceeds of 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 41 

slack coal produced, and at the same time made possible the mining 
of coal at a time when there was the very greatest need for it, 
and this arrangement materially helped to relieve a very serious 
coal shortage ; and 

Whereas, from the proceeds of this arrangement, there has 
resulted a large sum of money, which Mr. Couch has tendered 
to the State Council of Defense, making it possible for the State 
Council of Defense to continue with some very important projects 
for the general welfare of our State, now therefore be it 

Resolved, that the Arkansas State Council of Defense express 
to Mr. Couch its hearty appreciation of the distinguished and 
efficient service he has rendered our country and our State in the 
capacity of Federal Fuel Administrator; and be it further 

Resolved, that we congratulate him upon his success in arrang- 
ing with the anthracite coal operators so that it was possible for 
them to produce coal at a time when it was most urgently needed, 
and that out of this arrangement he has secured a large sum of 
money, $27,749.06, which he tenders to the State Council of 
Defense for its use in advancing the welfare of the State; and 
be it further 

Resolved, That we accept with sincere thanks this very gen- 
erous offer on the part of Mr. Couch ; and be it further 

Resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be sent to Mr. 
Couch. 

LIBERTY LOAN CAMPAIGNS. 

Mr. W. L. Hemingway, a member of the State Council of 
Defense, was State Chairman for the Liberty Loan campaigns. 
These campaigns received the untiring support of Arkansas bank- 
ers, business and professional men. They were carefully planned 
and the organization so complete in detail that every individual 
citizen knew his allotment of the Arkansas quota. 

Mr. Hemingway submits the following brief report : 

Below are the figures showing the results of the five Liberty 
Loan campaigns in the State of Arkansas : 



42 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

Quota Subscription 

First Loan $14,967,601 $ 5,624,150 

Second Loan 11,074,000 13,572,950 

Third Loan 15,351,550 22,714,450 

Fourth Loan _ 23,842,000 26,657,650 

Victory Loan 20,541,150 20,488,600 



Totals $85,776,301 $89,05 7 ,800 

THE WAR SAVINGS STAMPS CAMPAIGN. 

Mr. Moorhead Wright, a member of the State Council, 
served as State Director of this campaign. The following report 
has been written by Mr. R. E. Wait, who assisted Mr. Wright in 
the campaign: 

About the middle of November, 1917, Mr. Moorhead Wright, 
president of the Union & Mercantile Trust Company of Little 
Rock, was appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury as State 
Director of War Savings for Arkansas. Responding to a telegraphic 
call of the secretary, Mr. Wright journeyed to Washington and 
received his instructions direct from the Secretary of the Treasury 
and Mr. Frank A. Vanderlip, chairman of the National War Sav- 
ings Committee, Mr. Wright found that the country had been 
divided into twelve districts, each to be presided over by a Fed- 
eral Director of War Savings. A State Director was appointed 
for each State, and the organization in each State was left to the 
State Director under the supervision and advice of his District 
Federal Director and the National War Savings Committee at 
Washington. 

The plan outlined in Washington contemplated the Nation- 
wide sale of two billion dollars of War Savings Stamps of the 
maturity value of $5 each during the period ending December 31, 
1918; no buyer being permitted to own more than $1,000 of War 
Savings Certificates. Thrift Stamps of the denomination of 
twenty-five cents each were also to be sold, noninterest bearing 
and convertible into War Savings Stamps. The selling price of 
War Savings Stamps was to net the purchaser at the rate of about 
4 1/4 per cent interest. Each State was assigned a quota accord- 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 43 

ing to its population, figured at about $20 per capita; Arkansas' 
quota being $35,529,100. 

Immediately on his return to Arkansas Mr. Wright began 
building his War Savings organization. The counties of the State 
were combined into seven territorial groups and a patriotic, able 
and public-spirited citizen was placed in charge of each group as 
Group Director. A volunteer chairman was appointed in and 
for each of the seventy-five counties. A General State Executive 
Committee was selected, with Governor Charles Hillman Brough 
at its head. The first general meeting for the organization and 
instructions of this force was held in Little Rock on November 27, 
1917, in the House of Representatives in the State Capitol, State 
Director Wright presiding, and the principal speakers being Gov- 
ernor Brough and Mr. Festus J. Wade, president of the Mercan- 
tile Trust Company of St. Louis, and State War Savings Director 
for Missouri. The campaign among the school children over the 
State was supervised by the State Superintendent of Public Instruc- 
tion. A competent director for War Savings work among the 
women was selected. The traveling men of the State were organ- 
ized and rendered valiant service. War Savings work was pushed 
among the colored population through their church and lodge or- 
ganizations. Under authority of the Treasury Department, State 
Director Wright employed a competent office force at State head- 
quarters in Little Rock, and a number of special field deputies, 
who traveled constantly over the groups assisting the county chair- 
man in each county. 

In addition to the War Savings Securities themselves, the 
Government of the United States furnished a vast amount of 
attractive colored posters and valuable thrift literature, which was 
scattered broadcast over the State. The campaign also involved 
a large amount of other printed matter, which was secured 
promptly and with good execution through local printers. Dur- 
ing the whole campaign tons of literature, posters, etc., were dis- 
tributed. 

The campaign throughout was largely of necessity educa- 
tional in its nature, for such securities and the needs of the Gov- 
ernment were new and unknown to the mass of the people. The 
sale of the stamps was at first slow, but steadily grew in volume. 



44 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

The State's quota of thirty-five million dollars seemed to most 
people an impossibility. It had to be resolved to understandable 
figure, so in June, 1918, each school district in the State, and 
family therein, was assessed a definite quota of War Stamps to 
enable each county to subscribe its quota, and by proclamation of 
the President of the United States, June 28, 1918, was designated 
as National War Savings Pledge Day. Meetings were held in 
every school district in the State and a number of counties went 
over the top. The total State pledges amounted to something 
like twenty-seven million dollars. After the returns were in the 
special field deputies and the county organizations were used in 
bringing the weaker counties up to the mark. All pledges were 
made redeemable on or before December 31, 1918, each pledgor 
promising to buy the amount of his pledge in War Stamps on or 
before that date. 

The signing of the armistice on November 11, 1918, caused 
such a depression or cessation of all interest in civilian war activi- 
ties that it was at once realized something would have to be done 
to protect the Government's interest in the vast number and 
amount in War Savings pledges. Accordingly, Thanksgiving Day 
was designated by the State Director as Pledge Redemption Day. 
Every force at his command was put into action to arrange district 
meetings and induce the purchase of stamps in redemption of 
pledges. The result was that at the end of the j^ear and the 
campaign about eighteen million dollars in stamps were sold in 
the State of Arkansas. Had the war continued with its increasing 
toll of lives, in all likelihood the entire quota of thirtj^-five million 
dollars would have been purchased by Arkansas citizens. 

Beginning in 1919, the Government is continuing the War 
Savings work in Arkansas, under the State direction of State Direc- 
tor Wright in an educational way for the promotion of savings 
and thrift among the people. 

THE SELECTIVE SERVICE ADMINISTRATION. 

Arkansas made a brilliant record in her work of raising her 
quota of men under the selective service act and the splendid man- 
ner in which she cared for the men. Lloyd England, Chairman 
of the State Council and Adjutant General of Arkansas, brought 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 45 

to his work great executive ability, combined with many years' 
experience in the United States Army and a tireless devotion to 
the interests of his State and his country. In this work, he was 
ably assisted by Major H. F. Fredeman, who shouldered the enor- 
mous burden of details and management. 

Their work is not a part of the State Council but it is included 
in this report in order that it may be recorded in this compilation 
of war activities of the State. 

Arkansas War History, 

As Compiled by Provost Marshal General Crowder. 

On May 18, 1917, Congress enacted the Selective Service 
Law. The eighteen days intervening between that date and June 
5, 1917, the date set by the President for the first registration, were 
crowded with the urgency of construction of a great administrative 
machine, but so successful and complete had been these preparations 
that between dawn and dark on that day nearly ten million male 
citizens of the United States had presented themselves at the reg- 
istration booths for enrollment and within forty-eight hours com- 
plete returns had been tabulated and telegraphed to Washington. 

Arkansas on June 5, 1917, registered 149,097 males between 
the ages of twenty-one and thirty inclusive, and was the fifth State 
in the Union to wire its complete returns to Washington. Fol- 
lowing this, all attention was turned to the task of providing a 
complete and somewhat intricate system of selection of boards, 
which boards were charged with the actual application of the rules 
under which the most sacred rights and the gravest obligations of 
registrants and their dependents were to be adjudicated. In Ark- 
ansas this task was assigned to and undertaken by Governor Charles 
H. Brough and Adjutant General Lloyd England, assisted by 
Major Henry F. Fredeman, then the Assistant Adjutant General, 
who had been designated by the Governor to have immediate super- 
vision of the administration of the Selective Service Law in this 
State. Preparations in this State kept pace with those in Wash- 
ington, so on July 30, 1917, the date upon which the first order 
number drawing was held in Washington, all was in complete 
readiness in this State and before the month had passed eighty 



46 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

boards in the seventy-five counties in this State were engaged in 
the actual selection of the men who were to be privileged to answer 
the first call on September 1, 1917, the date set. This date, how- 
ever, was later moved up to September 5, 1917, on account of the 
then existing traffic conditions. 

By the middle of December, 1917, Arkansas had filled its 
first gross quota of 17,452 men by having furnished 7,155 volun- 
teers and 10,267 selected men at the cost of $7.59 per man. This 
cost being exactly equal to the national average cost per man. In 
order to fill this quota, boards had called for examination 45,271 
men and had finally accepted 1 1,695, or 25.83 per cent of the num- 
ber called; of these not finally accepted 14,746 were deferred on 
grounds of dependency and 11,780 were found to be physically 
disqualified. 

In the matter of volunteers during the period of the first 
draft, Arkansas led all Southern States in that she was the only 
Southern State to exceed the national average ratio of enlistment 
credits to gross quota. The national percentage being 40.43 per 
cent while ours was 40.99 per cent. 

The selective boards in this State which performed these 
exacting duties were in most counties composed of the sheriff, the 
county clerk and the county health officer. Between the time of 
organization and November 11, 1918, resignations have been per- 
mitted, however, so that the personnel of more than 50 per cent of 
the original boards have changed. 

On October 31, 1918, Arkansas was credited with 65,31 1 men 
in the Federal service. Of these, 11,699 were volunteers in the 
Army, 4,025 volunteers in the Navy and 275 volunteers in the 
Marine Corps. 

On December 14, 1917, new regulations were issued from 
Washington, and the entire system of handling of claims for de- 
ferred classification and physical examination was changed and the 
boards were confronted with the task of reclassifying all registrants 
previously examined except such as were actually in service, to- 
gether with all who had not been previously called. The eighty 
boards in the State classified an average of fifteen men each every 
day between December 15, 1917, and April 15, 1918, when the 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 47 

task was practically completed. During this time inductions had 
almost kept up with the classifications so that it was seen that 
Class 1 would be exhausted. Beginning April 15, 1918, an ex- 
haustive re-examination was made by all boards for the purpose 
of correcting erroneous classifications, and in this manner enough 
qualified men were obtained to fill calls made during May and 
June, 1918. It was during this period that the Government appeal 
agents performed such splendid service. There has been desig- 
nated and appointed to serve the registrants of each board an attor- 
ney to be known as the Government Appeal Agent, whose princi- 
pal duties were to protect the interests of registrants who were not 
sufficiently versed in the requirements of the law to protect them- 
selves and at the same time he was required to appeal to the District 
Board for rehearing numerous cases where it appeared that the 
interest of the Government had not been sufficiently considered. 
These gentlemen patriotically performed every service required of 
them without remuneration, and to them is due much of the credit 
for the successful administration of the draft in Arkansas. 

Practically every lawyer in the State volunteered as member 
of the Legal Advisory Boards and tendered his services free to 
registrants and assisted them in the preparation of their claims, 
but they were not allowed to appear before any board in behalf of 
any registrant; Government Appeal Agents were required to act 
both as plaintiff and prosecutor. 

A review of the causes of rejections on physical requirements 
with view of determining what defects could be remedied resulted 
in the organization of a volunteer Dental Corps to assist medical 
examiners. 

The organization of the dentists in this State was undertaken 
by Dr. J. D. Jordan of Little Rock and through his untiring 
efforts was perfected so that practically every county in the State 
was served by one or more volunteer dentists. These men 
not only assisted in examinations but tendered their services free 
to all registrants whose call to the colors was pending and in this 
manner every registrant who desired to avail himself of the privi- 
lege could secure needed dental services without cost to himself or 
his Government. Other members of the medical profession ren- 
dered excellent services as members of Medical Advisory Boards. 



48 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

Serving without cost to himself or his Government. Other mem- 
bers of the medical profession rendered excellent service as mem- 
bers of Medical Advisory Boards. Serving without pay, these 
board members conducted re-examinations for every registrant not 
thoroughly satisfied with the examination given him by the regu- 
lar physician of the board, re-examined also all doubtful cases 
referred to them by the board and examined practically all trans- 
ferred cases. 

Through perfect co-operation on the part of every profession, 
trade, union and the citizenship of the State, Arkansas was enabled 
to establish an enviable record and to attract the attention of the 
Nation by its performances in the administration of the Selective 
Service Law. 

On June 5, 1918, the exhaustion of class 1 being imminent, 
it was ordered from Washington that another registration be held 
at which all male persons who had during the year intervening 
since the first registration, reached the age of twenty-one, should be 
enrolled for service, and again on August 24, 1918, this condition 
was met by holding a third registration. On these two dates, 
Arkansas added 16,086 names to its registration lists, bringing its 
total up to 168,302. Promptly after each of these registrations 
the entire forces connected with the administration of the selective 
service law in the State would attack with renewed vim the task 
of classifying and examining the new registrants and no respite was 
asked or granted until the work was completed. 

On August 31, 1918, Congress passed the law amending and 
extending the draft ages, and the President immediately set Sep- 
tember 12, 1918, as the date for what proved to be the final reg- 
istration. All the old organizations and much new and im- 
proved system was called upon to conduct this registration. On 
September 12, 1918, Arkansas registered 197,602, thus bringing 
her total registration to 365,904; of these 260,919 were white and 
104,835 were colored. 

The highest total registration for any one county, exclusive 
of Pulaski, was 11,509 for Mississippi county. The total registra- 
tion in Pulaski county was 24,634, but this was divided amongst 
four boards, two city boards and two county boards. The lowest 
total registration was in Stone county. 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 49 

The highest total men accepted at camp, again exclusive of 
Pulaski county, was reached in Phillips county, the total being 
1,681. The lowest total was from Marion county. The four 
boards in Pulaski county inducted 3,198 men. 

The State headquarters organization under General Lloyd 
England, Adjutant General, and Major Henry F. Fredeman, ex- 
ecutive officer, early reached a high state of efficiency, and through- 
out the entire period rendered conscientious service and valuable 
assistance in the perfection of the entire system in this State. In 
order to reach the highest possible state of perfection and to pro- 
mote efficiency in handling all matters pertaining to the draft, the 
office was divided into departments or branches and a clerk placed 
at head of each who was held directly responsible for the prompt 
and efficient performance of the service assigned to that particular 
department. 

The following list of department leaders contributed mate- 
rially to the efficient and creditable administration of the Selec- 
tive service law in Arkansas: J. W. Purdom, chief clerk; Mrs. 
Cora Kirkpatrick, finance clerk; Mrs. Maude G. Peck and Miss 
Garnet Reynerson, correspondence division; Mrs. Maggie New- 
land, forms and mailing; Miss Eugenia Ritter, publicity division; 
Miss Myrtle Dingier, delinquent and deserters; Mrs. K. G. Tall- 
quist, inductions; Mrs. Ida Burrow, personnel of boards; Mrs. 
C. F. Quinn, reports and returns. 

The entire office forces worked without regard to office hours, 
Sundays and holidays. 

The Eastern and Western District Board, beginning with 
five members each and later increased to seven each, performed 
services which will stand as a lasting monument to the patriotism, 
fidelity and wisdom of its members. 

The organization in the State included two District Boards 
with a membership of 14, 80 local Exemption Boards with a mem- 
bership of 246, 82 Government Appeal Agents, 80 local board 
clerks, 35 Medical Advisory Boards with a membership of 180, 
84 Legal Advisory Boards with a membership of 252 permanent 
and 2,060 associate members, 80 Boards of Instruction with a 



50 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 



membership of 408, making a grand total, including the State 
headquarters organization, of 3,357. 

The total expenditures of the administration of Selective 
Service Law in Arkansas to May 12, 1919, was $341,373.61. 



Statement of Men Who Volunteered, Were Mustered in 
OR Inducted from Arkansas Into Regular Army, Na- 
tional Guard, National Army, Navy and Marine 
Corps from April 1, 1917, to October 30, 1918. 



National 
Guard 

Arkansas 1 80 

Ashley _.„ _ _ 34 

Baxter 2 

Benton 195 

Boone _ 115 

Bradley „.. 80 

Calhoun 29 

Carroll 55 

Chicot...._ _ 57 

Clark..._ 71 

Clay _....... 139 

Cleburne _ 64 

Cleveland 93 

Columbia _ 132 

Conway Ill 

Craighead „ 80 

Crawford 98 

Crittenden 2 

Cross _ 3 5 

Dallas _ 104 

Desha 25 

Drew „ 51 

Faulkner „... 1 7 

Franklin 110 

Fulton 5 6 

Garland „ 204 

Grant _ 14 



Regular 
Army 

18 


Enlisted 
Reserve 

and 

National 

Army 

10 


National 
Army 

787 


Navy 

and 

Marine 

Corps 

31 


Total 
1,026 


38 


20 


925 


50 


1,067 


11 


3 


306 


20 


341 


52 


26 


689 


47 


1,009 


13 


10 


298 


25 


461 


5 


23 


497 


16 


621 


19 


8 


321 


20 


397 


20 


45 


380 


29 


529 


20 


14 


831 


30 


952 


22 


33 


903 


35 


1,064 


69 


13 


772 


43 


1,036 


9 


3 


352 


49 


477 


10 


5 ■ 


400 


26 


534 


16 


6 


762 


24 


940 


15 


5 


543 


39 


713 


174 


43 


1,037 


145 


1,479 


68 


11 


644 


75 


896 


14 


20 


1,136 


69 


1,241 


29 


25 


800 


40 


929 


15 


21 


405 


27 


572 


21 


14 


551 


29 


640 


21 


10 


982 


32 


1,096 


19 


21 


635 


68 


760 


32 


5 


402 


37 


586 


18 


4 


289 


20 


387 


34 


27 


718 


77 


1,060 


15 


7 


312 


20 


368 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 51 

Enlisted 

Reserve Navy 

and and 

National Regular National National Marine 

Guard Army Army Army Corps Total 

Greene 161 40 18 589 39 847 

Hempstead 46 29 11 873 51 1,010 

Hot Springs 21 23 13 436 23 516 

Howard 64 21 14 488 28 615 

Independence ....„ 162 20 9 653 36 880 

Izard 25 15 7 305 21 373 

Jackson 144 44 16 672 74 950 

Jefferson 87 84 102 2,135 105 2,514 

Johnson 160 20 6 472 23 681 

Lafayette 42 13 21 500 25 601 

Lawrence „ 120 47 8 648 40 863 

Lee 34 18 12 1,075 45 1,184 

Lincoln 25 12 5 539 20 601 

Little River ...._ 83 10 8 438 25 564 

Little Rock 263 158 173 1,721 108 2,423 

Logan 183 16 3 479 30 711 

Lonoke 51 37 28 883 53 1,052 

Madison 72 23 5 308 16 424 

Marion 56 8 2 293 23 382 

Miller 132 40 23 609 107 911 

Mississippi 169 46 30 1,494 110 1,849 

Monroe 39 21 19 705 25 809 

Montgomery 13 6 2 276 21 318 

Nevada _ 24 16 7 460 15 522 

Newton 20 14 248 14 296 

Ouachita 79 32 8 722 41 882 

Perry 58 13 15 275 21 382 

Phillips 118 45 94 1,746 64 2,087 

Pike 8 20 8 315 31 382 

Poinsett _ 18 59 9 890 38 1,014 

Polk „. _ 11 25 14 419 27 496 

Pope 158 29 53 571 65 874 

Prairie _._ 29 11 10 602 25 677 

Pulaski „_ 303 35 30 1,219 69 1,656 

Randolph „.... 37 36 6 485 30 594 

Saline „._ 49 23 8 479 32 591 

Scott 1 26 3 348 33 411 



52 Arkansas State Council of Defense 



Searcy 


National 
Guard 

_ 14 


Regular 

Army 

29 


Enlisted 
Reserve 

and 

National 

Army 

12 


National 
Army 

412 


Navy 

and 

Marine 

Corps 

32 


Total 

499 


Sebastian 


299 


52 


64 


1,390 


179 


1,984 


Sevier _. 


8 


96 


11 


576 


48 


739 


Sharp .„ _ 


_.... 31 


36 


1 


321 


29 


418 


St. Francis 


103 


16 


21 


954 


30 


1,124 


Stone 


3 


11 


1 


262 


25 


302 


Union 


..„ 61 


23 


21 


942 


24 


1,071 


Van Buren 


10 


14 




410 


25 


459 


Washington 


193 


77 


29 


716 


71 


1,086 


White .._ 


_-. 146 


65 


14 


1,028 


54 


1,307 


Woodruff 


...._ 209 


28 


14 


602 


20 


873 


Yell _.... 


110 

6,315 


24 
2,403 


9 
1,429 5 


596 


16 
3,228 ( 


755 


Totals 


0,259 


53,632 



This statement does not include the volunteers who have en- 
listed in the Students Army Training Corps, nor the officers who 
have been commissioned from civilian camps or civil life nor thou- 
sands of men who enlisted prior to the declaration of war in the 
various branches of the service from Arkansas. 

The Adjutant General's Department, in its desire to be of 
definite service to all men in the service, co-operated most effec- 
tively with all agencies engaged in finding employment for dis- 
charged soldiers, sailors and marines. 

The first work was to place these men, as far as possible, back 
in the employment they left to enter the service. Before the men 
were discharged, 65,000 cards were sent to their former employers 
asking if they would agree to give employment to the former 
employee upon his discharge and in addition 40,000 cards were 
sent to all business houses, planters, contractors, manufacturers, 
etc., who were in position to employ men en bloc, and replies re- 
ceived showing the number men they agreed to employ, character 
of employment and wages paid, 65,000 letters were sent to the 
nearest relatives of the men asking, in each case, if the man had 
employment, the work for which he was fitted, the name of his last 
employer and other information helpful in replacing the man in 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 53 

civilian life. All of this information was placed at the service 
of the United States Employment Bureau, whose work is herein- 
after set forth. 

Forty thousand cards were sent to men while in the service 
advising them of positions, giving salary and nature of work, which 
awaited their return and 40,000 cards were sent to employers in- 
forming them that discharged men would accept employment. 

In carrying out this work, an approximate total of 241,500 
postal cards and 65,000 letters were mailed. The result was that 
many men knew before discharge that definite employment awaited 
their return. The value of this work can not be estimated. 

WAR WORK BY THE WOMEN OF ARKANSAS. 

The magnificent work done by the women of Arkansas is ade- 
quately set forth in the report they have published. But this 
report would not be complete without paying a well-deserved trib- 
ute to the loyalty, patriotism and devotion of the women of Arkan- 
sas, who, under the leadership of Mrs. Joe Frauenthal of Conway, 
a member of the State Council and State Chairman of the Ark- 
ansas Division of the Woman's Committee of the Council of Na- 
tional Defense, rendered such splendid and effective service to 
their State and their Nation. True to the noblest traditions of 
Arkansas womanhood, they carried out with rare eflficiency and 
success their part of the war work of the State. 

RED CROSS. 

The story of the Red Cross work in Arkansas is one of ear- 
nest, conscientious labor, sacrifice and consecrated patriotism. The 
field of Red Cross labor made a direct appeal to the hearts of our 
citizens, and their response to its appeals were immediate and out- 
pouring. A large number of splendid men and women volun- 
teered for over-seas work, while the workers at home kept up the 
Home and Civilian Relief Work. Mr. J. R. Vinson, a member 
of the State Council, was State Chairman of the work, and makes 
the following statistical report: 



54 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

No. 1. Number of Red Cross members in the State 
beginning of the year 1917; all coun- 
ties not organized 32,196 

No. 2. Number of chairmen in the State at the 

beginning of 1917 „ _ 63 

No. 3. The actual amount of money pledged by 
counties in the first War Fund Cam- 
paign — „....$ 701,000 

No. 4. The amount actually collected 467,285.47 

No. 5. The number of members secured by Christ- 
mas Drive, 1917 _ _ 156,570 

No. 6. The amount of money pledged in the April 

Drive of 1918 _ _ 1,153,955.29 

No. 7. The amount actually collected 950,116.19 

No, 8. The number of members secured in the 
Christmas Roll Call Campaign, Decem- 
ber, 1 9 1 8 „ „ _ 1 06,6 1 6 

No. 9. The number of Chapters now organized in 

the State of Arkansas _ 84 

Y. M. C. A. 

The record of the war activities of Arkansas would not be 
complete without mention of the work of the Y. M. C. A. Mr. 
John L. Hunter, State Secretary, furnished the information that 
the Y. M. C. A. received for home camp and over-seas service 
over 3,000 applications, representing men from practically every 
walk of life. As evidence of the care with which these applica- 
tions were considered are the facts that several personal interviews 
were held with each man selected and from 42 to 100 papers, 
including correspondence and investigations, were handled on each 
case. Out of these applicants, 230 men were selected for service 
and sent to the training schools, where all but three completed the 
course. Those finally appointed made splendid records for effi- 
ciency in service and faithfulness in duty. Several of the men 
were either wounded or gassed and all of them endured the hard- 
ships of the service they had volunteered to give. 

The Y. M. C. A. made two campaigns for funds. In May, 
1917, the State subscribed $12,140.61 for its work. In November, 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 55 

1917, for its enlarged work the State subscribed $235,166, of 
which the sum of $216,308.19 was paid. This included $4,800 
from high school boys and $7,000 from the college men and 
women. The Y. M. C. A. also took part in the United War 
Work Campaign. 

UNITED WAR WORK FUND. 

The campaign in 1918 for funds for the seven welfare agen- 
cies, namely, the Y. M. C. A., the Y. W. C. A., the Salvation 
Army, the Jewish Welfare Board, the National Catholic War 
Council, War Camp Community Service and American Library 
Association, was under the management of Mr. W. C. Ribenack, 
a member of the State Council. The allotment for Arkansas was 
about $780,000. The subscriptions were over $1,100,000, and 
of this amount 95 per cent has been collected to date. The col- 
lection of these subscriptions was made under the leadership of 
Mr. B. C. Powell, who was elected chairman upon the resigna- 
tion of Mr. Ribenack. 

VOLUNTEER MEDICAL SERVICE CORPS. 

The State Council furnished the funds necessary to maintain 
the work of the Volunteer Medical Service Corps. Dr. Wm. R. 
Bathurst, secretary, makes the following report: 

On receipt of a letter from Dr. Franklin H. Martin, member 
of Advisory Commission, Council of National Defense, Medical 
Section, Washington, D. C, to Dr. C. P. Meriwether, secretary 
of the Arkansas Medical Society, bearing date of August 15, 1918, 
outlining suggestions for the work of a State Committee, plans 
for procedure and general information. 

After full discussion of the peculiar fitness of each candidate 
the following membership of the State Executive Committee was 
suggested : 

Dr. C. P. Meriwether, Little Rock. 
Dr. W. B. Hughes, Little Rock. 
Dr. C. M. Lutterloh, Jonesboro. 
Dr. Leonidas Kirby, Harrison. 



56 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

Dr. J. G. Eberle, Fort Smith. 

Dr. J. C. Wallis, Arkadelphia. 

Dr. R. C. Dorr, chairman, Batesville. 

Dr. Wm. R. Bathurst, secretary, Little Rock. 

From the list of eligibles submitted by the secretary very care- 
ful selection was made for representatives in every county in the 
State, after a full discussion as to merits and capability. List as 
follows : 

Arkansas County — W. H. Morphew, Stuttgart. 
Ashley — John W. Simpson, Hamburg. 
Baxter — J. J. Morrow, Cotter. 
Benton — J. T. Clegg, Siloam Springs. 
Boone — D. E. Evans, Harrison. 
Bradley — Chas. N. Martin, Warren. 
Calhoun — Enoch T. Jones, Hampton. 
Carroll — C. F. Ellis, Eureka Springs. 
Chicot — H. C. Stinson, Dermott. 
Clark — J. C. Wallis, Arkadelphia. 
Clay — A. R. Simpson, Corning. 
Cleburne — Wm. J. Hornbarger, Heber Springs. 
Cleveland — A. J. Hamilton, Rison. 
Columbia — H. A. Longino, Magnolia. 
Conway — Ben C. Logan, Morrilton. 
Craighead — W. W. Jackson, Jonesboro. 
Crawford— M. S. Dibrell, Van Buren. 
Crittenden — L. C. McVay, Marion. 
Cross — Jacob L. Hare, Wynne. 
Dallas— C. J. March, Fordyce. 
Desha — Vernon MacCammon, Arkansas City. 
Drew — M. B. Corrigan, Monticello. 
Faulkner — Geo. S. Brown, Conway. 
Franklin — Thos. Douglass, Ozark. 
Fulton — C. T. Gulp, Mammoth Springs. 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 57 

Garland — M. G. Thompson, Hot Springs. 
Grant — John L. Butler, Sheridan. 
Greene — Felix M. Scott, Paragould. 
Hempstead — J. H. Weaver, Hope. 
Hot Spring — E. T, Bramlitt, Malvern. 
Howard — David A. Hutchinson, Nashville. 
Independence — James H. Kennerly, Batesville. 
Izard — E. A. Baxter, Melbourne. 
Jackson — L. E. Willis, Newport. 
Jefferson — A. C. Jordan — Pine Bluff. 
Johnson — A. M. McKinnon, Clarksville. 
Lafayette — F. W. Youmans, Lewisville. 
Lawrence — A. G. Henderson, Imboden. 
Lee — O. L. Williamson, Marianna. 
Lincoln — Ben F. Tarver, Star City. 
Little River— P. H. Phillips, Ashdown. 
Logan — J. J. Smith, Paris. 
Lonoke — S. A. Southall, Lonoke. 

Madison — Fred Youngblood, Huntsville. 

Marion — James J. Thompson, Yellville. 

Miller— R. H. T. Mann, Arkadelphia. 

Mississippi — Earle E. Craig, Wilson. 

Monroe — F. T. Murphy, Brinkley. 

Montgomery — L. S. Kennedy, Mount Ida. 

Nevada — S. J. Hesterly, Prescott. 

Newton — J. O. McFerrin, Jasper. 

Ouachita — J. S. Rhinehart, Camden. 

Perry — W. L. Reiff, Perryville. 

Phillips — Allen E. Cox, Helena. 

Pike — Wm. L. Alford, Murfreesboro. 

Poinsett — Ben L. Harrison, Truman. 

Polk— Phillip R. Watkins, Mena. 

Pope — R. L. Smith, Russellville. 

Prairie — J. R. Lynn, Hazen. 



58 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

Pulaski — E. Meek, Little Rock. 
Randolph — H. L. Throgmorton, Pocahontas, 
Saline — Dewell Gann, Benton. 
Scott — L. D. Duncan, Waldron. 
Searcy — S. J. Daniels, Marshall. 
Sebastian — E. G. Epler, Fort Smith. 
Sevier — M. L. Norwood, Lockesburg. 
Sharp — Thos. J. Wood, Evening Shade. 
St. Francis — D. A. Pelton, Forrest City. 
Stone — Jos. M. Brevt^er, Mountain View. 
Union — H. H. Niehuss, El Dorado. 
Van Buren— J. S. McMahon, Clinton. 
Washington — H. D. Wood, Fayetteville. 
White— J. M. Jelks, Searcy. 
Woodruff — R. N. Smith, Augusta. 
Yell — L. E. Love, Dardanelle. 

Our duties w^ere principally the registration of the medical 
profession of the State, and organizing the Volunteer Medical 
Service Corps. 

The Volunteer Medical Service Corps is exactly what its 
name implies. It is a gentleman's agreement on the part of the 
civilian doctors of the United States who have not yet been hon- 
ored by commissions in the Army and Navy and a representative 
Board of Governors, consisting of officials of the Government 
associated with lay members of the profession, in which the civilian 
physician agrees to offer his services to the Government if asked 
to do so by the Central Governing Board. 

Nearly every physician in the State applied for membership. 

In addition many members responded to the call from the 
Public Health Service and Red Cross for temporary service to 
combat the epidemic of influenza. These duties called many phy- 
sicians outside the State. 

On September 23 Dr. L. Kirby of Harrison, member of the 
State Executive Committee, went to Washington to assist in codi- 
fying the doctors of Arkansas. 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 59 

U. S. EMPLOYMENT SERVICE. 

Major R. B. Keating, a member of the State Council and 
Federal Director for Arkansas of the United States Employment 
Service, makes a splendid report of his work. 

Subject^ Report of Activities, U. S. Employment Service. 

In compliance with the request of the State Council of De- 
fense for a report of the activities of the United States Employ- 
ment Service in the recruiting and distribution of labor for war 
work, and for other purposes, during the year 1918 and 1919, the 
following information is submitted : 

Organization. 

Immediately after the declaration of hostilities against Ger- 
many, and the passage of the selective draft act, creating an army 
of something like four million men, Secretary of Labor Wilson, 
foreseeing the immense drain upon the industrial life of the Nation 
and the abnormal demand for labor in the construction of muni- 
tion plants, and other Government war work, determined that 
there must be Government control of recruiting and distribution 
of labor. He authorized through the Commissioner General of 
Immigration, Mr. Caminetti, a system of Government employ- 
ment agencies in the larger cities in the industrial centers of the 
United States. Little Rock was designated as a point where one 
of these offices would be established, and I received instructions 
from the secretary to open the office in Little Rock, July 1, 1917. 
On account of a limited appropriation, these offices were conducted 
on a very small scale, with only two clerks and one outside man. 
The Little Rock office aided the James Stuart Construction Com- 
pany in recruiting something like 7,000 laborers for Camp Pike 
during the months of August, September, October and November, 
1917, besides assisting very materially in the harvesting of the 
crops in this State that season. 

In January, 1918, Secretary Wilson authorized the expansion 
of the service, and the leasing of proper quarters for employment 
purposes. John B. Densmore was placed in charge of this em- 
ployment work for the United States, and a sufficient appropria- 
tion was allotted to maintain an efficient organization. Branch 



60 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

offices were established in every State, and the work in each State 
placed in charge of a Federal Director appointed and commissioned 
by the Secretary of Labor. 

Employment Districts. 

For the purpose of recruiting war workers and an equitable 
distribution of labor for nonwar work, the State of Arkansas was 
subdivided into nine employment districts, as follows : 

First District — Headquarters, Jonesboro, Ark. ; superintend- 
ent, J. A. Blackford. 

Second District — Helena, Ark. ; superintendent, Charles D. 
Buford. 

Third District — Pine Bluff, Ark. ; superintendent, Dave S. 
Wells. 

Fourth District — Fordyce, Ark. ; superintendent, J. A. Meeks. 

Fifth District — Little Rock, Ark.; superintendent, M. F. 
Dickinson; C. B. Cook, successor. 

Sixth District — Hot Springs, Ark. ; superintendent, W. W. 
Gentry. 

Seventh District — Texarkana, Ark.; superintendent, E. F. 
Friedell. 

Eighth District — Fort Smith, Ark. ; superintendent, Frank 
Anderson. 

Ninth District — Newport, Ark.; superintendent, Charles 
Mariner. 

The plan of the Employment Districts originated in Arkan- 
sas and was afterward used by the Department of Labor as a 
model for the organization in other States. To these district 
superintendents a great measure of the success is due, on account 
of their ability to obtain proper co-operation and support from the 
farmers, manufacturers and business men of their respective dis- 
tricts. They not only had to supply a quota of labor for construc- 
tion work in Little Rock, and for the construction work in adjoin- 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 61 

ing States, but they had to maintain a supply of labor for farm 
purposes and to take care of manufacturing plants in their own 
communities. 

Government Construction. 

From January 1 to November 30 there were under construc- 
tion in Arkansas four large war work enterprises, as follows : The 
aviation school at Ebert's Field, Lonoke, the divisional cantonment. 
Camp Pike; the picric acid plant and aviation warehouse, Little 
Rock. 

The labor requirements for this construction meant between 
five and ten thousand for Cam.p Pike, the same number for the 
picric acid plant, and between three and five thousand at Ebert's 
Field and the aviation warehouse. At no time has there been a 
serious shortage of labor at any point in the State, either on Gov- 
ernment work, or on private nonwar work. About fifteen hundred 
laborers were imported from Porto Rico and were used in war 
construction work around Little Rock. This labor was not of 
the best, but it assisted very materially in the completion of this 
very important work. Something like three thousand laborers, 
both skilled and unskilled, were imported from the States of 
Texas and Oklahoma and were distributed between Camp Pike, 
the aviation warehouse and the picric acid plant. 

In conversation with Mr. J. W. Rodes, connected with the 
Dupont powder plant, Nashville, he informed me that the State 
of Arkansas should be given credit for the construction of the 
immense Dupont powder plant at Nashville. 

Arkansas furnished very nearly fourteen thousand laborers 
for this plant. 

Activities January 1 to December 1, 1918. 

A tabulation of the service from January 1 to December 1, 
1918, shows a total registration for the year 1918 of 56,848, who 
desired work, and it shows that 123,606 were asked for by the 
employers, of which number 54,051 were referred and 50,106 were 
actually hired. The statistics for the latter half of 1917 are not 
available for the reason that the records of the office were mis- 



62 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

placed in moving and have not been found. Sixty per cent of the 
total placements for 1918 were for war work exclusively, and the 
balance of the remaining forty per cent for other nonwar work ac- 
tivities. The total amount expended in support of the service for 
the year 1918 was $42,732.91, or it averaged a little over 85 cents 
to secure a job for each man and women placed by the service. 

Reconstruction Period, December 1, 1918, to July 1, 1919. 

Immediately after cessation of hostilities in Europe, the De- 
partment of Labor, in conjunction with the War Department, 
began preparations for an organization to insure re-employment 
for all discharged soldiers, sailors and marines, and to find em- 
ployment for those who had no positions at the time of their entry 
into the service. No applications were received from soldiers to 
any considerable extent during the months of December and Janu- 
ary. However, during the month of February the War Depart- 
ment began the wholesale discharge of troops, and during that 
month 3,073 applications were received in the Little Rock office 
of which number 2,458 were referred to either former employers 
or to new positions. 

The list of registrations and placements for the reconstruction 
period beginning December 1, 1918, and continuing to July 1, 
1919, the month of July statistics are not available at the time of 
the compiling of this report, shows that the total number placed 
for the reconstruction period is 34,770, of which number 14,039 
were women and girls and 14,043 were soldiers. The average 
cost of placement for the period was $32,581.51, or an average 
of a little over 93 cents. 

It might be well to call your attention at this point to the 
exceedingly low cost of placement of .83.73 per person. The 
average fee charging employment agency secures $2 per head for 
registration purposes without any guarantee of a job. Should 
that price have been paid by the registrants the fees alone would 
have amounted to over $210,000. The fee charging employment 
agency not only charges the $2 for registration fees but secures an 
allotment of pay on a percentage basis, a small amount being de- 
ducted each month from the applicant's wages. 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 63 

Attached hereto is a recapitulation sheet for the work of the 
service from January 1, 1918, to July 1, 1919, covering a period 
of eighteen months. 

Assistance by the State Council of Defense. 

The prime factor in insuring the success of the work of the 
United States employment service in Arkansas from the first of 
the organization of the service to the present time, was active 
co-operation and support of the Arkansas State Council of Defense. 

This brought absolute harmony and closer co-operation in 
labor matters in the State of Arkansas than prevailed in any other 
State in the Union. 

Very soon after the declaration of the armistice had been re- 
ceived in this country, the National War Council began prepara- 
tions for the organization of Volunteer Bureaus for Returning 
Soldiers, Sailors and Marines. A State Council was to be organ- 
ized in each State composed of the heads of various patriotic or- 
ganizations for the purpose of organizing the volunteer bureaus. 
In Arkansas this was not necessary for the reason that we already 
had an efficient organization in the State Council of Defense upon 
which I could rely. In a conference with Director Townsend, 
the county chairmen of each County Council of Defense was des- 
ignated as the head of the County Volunteer Bureau, and if the 
county chairmen were unable to serve they suggested the name of 
some one who would act. While all of the chairmen have been 
more or less active in securing employment for our soldiers, yet 
a great many of them have not found it convenient to make reports 
of their actions and success. To a certain extent this will make 
our reports incomplete. Special agents of the service are now 
endeavoring to verify the work of each of the county chairmen in 
order that a full report be made to the War Department as well 
as to the Department of Labor of the success in securing employ- 
ment in this State. I do not feel that this report would be com- 
plete without a full list of the county chairmen being made a part 
of this report, and the same is hereto attached. 

Congress adjourned on March 23, 1919, without making an 
appropriation for the maintenance of an efficient organization to 
continue this work. This was caused by the filibuster of certain 



64 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

members of the House and Senate. Had not the State Council of 
Defense come to the assistance of this employment service in Ark- 
ansas ninety per cent of the personnel would have been discharged 
and all of the offices closed except the one in Little Rock. 

However, an appropriation was secured from your body to 
maintain the service until July 1, about $2,500 being allotted for 
the purpose. On July 1 an additional allotment of $3,000 for the 
months of July and August was guaranteed by the State Council 
of Defense, thus enabling the work to continue on a hundred per 
cent basis. 

The motto suggested by the chairman of the State Council 
of Defense, "The last as well as the first," has been religiously fol- 
lowed by the employees of this service, and to my certain knowl- 
edge there is not an idle man in the State who really desires work ; 
a small percentage of those returned from over-sea service are idle 
of their own volition, preferring not to work until they have visited 
around a while. Personally speaking, I have talked to hundreds 
of returning soldiers, and find of all things they appreciated upon 
their return home are the efforts we have made to guarantee them 
a job upon their release from the army. 

A notification has been received from the War Department 
that the total demobilization of the forces will not be completed 
until some time during the month of October. This, of course, 
will necessitate the maintaining of the employment offices in this 
State at the present strength until about October 15. To do this, 
it will require further financial assistance from your body. A 
final report of the expenditure of the funds contributed by the 
State Council of Defense will be rendered you at the close of this 
work. 

I can not close this report without expressing my deep appre- 
ciation to Chairman Lloyd England, Major Fredeman and to the 
members of the State Council of Defense for their financial sup- 
port and co-operation, without which Arkansas would probably 
have been in the same condition as other States where chaotic 
labor conditions prevailed. 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 65 

Recapitulation. 
Covering Period from January 1 to December 1, 1918. 

Reglstra- Help Reported Placed Total Cost per 

tion Wanted Referred Male Female Placed Expenses Placement 

56,848 123,605 54,051 47,999 2,107 50,106 $42,732.91 $0.85.28 

Covering Reconstruction Period from December 1 to July 1, 1919. 
48,276 67,816 38,766 33,331 1,439 34,770 $32,581.51 .93.70 

Discharged Soldiers. 
18,569 12,098 14,466 14,043 

Grand Total. 
105,124 191,422 92,817 $71,330 3,546 84,876 $75,314.42 .88.73 

List of Special Representatives in Charge of Returning 

Soldiers and Sailors Bureau. 
Ashley County — Geo. Norman, Hamburg. 
Arkansas— W. C. Poynter, DeWitt. 
Bradley — J. C. Moore, Warren. 
Baxter — R. H. Russell, Mountain Home. 
Boone — F. M. Garvin, Harrison. 
Benton — Geo. H. Kennedy, Bentonville. 
Carroll — R. R. Thompson, Eureka Springs. 
Chicot— W. G. Streett, Lake Village. 
Clark — Joe Hardage, Arkadelphia. 
Craighead — H. M. Cooley, Jonesboro. 
Cleburne — B. F. Jordan, Heber Springs. 
Columbia — A. S. Kilgore, Magnolia. 
Crittenden — Smith A. Johnson, Marion. 
Conway — Lloyd Rainwater, Morrilton. 
Cross — W. N. Killough, Wynne. 
Crawford — C. R. Cordell, Van Buren, 
Clay — C. T. Blood worth. Corning. 
Cleveland — W. E. Galloway, Rison. 
Desha— K. G. Morley, McGehee. 



66 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

Drew — Jack Curry, Monticello. 
Dallas — Paul G. Matlock, Fordyce. 
Fulton — J. W. Carroll, Salem. 
Faulkner — W. D. Cole, Conway. 
Franklin — T. A. Pettigrew, Charleston. 
Grant — D. E. Waddell, Sheridan, 
Greene — Eli Meiser, Paragould. 
Garland — Houston Emory, Hot Springs. 
Hempstead — W. S. Atkins, Hope. 
Howard — J. G. Sain, Nashville. 
Hot Spring — A. W. Jernigan, Malvern. 
Independence — A. A. Weber, Batesville. 
Izard — R. F. Rook, Melbourne. 
Jackson — Charles Mariner, Newport. 
Johnson — D. Ward Dunlap, Clarksville. 
Jefferson— A. H. Howell, Pine Bluff. 
^ Lawrence — F. B. Ivis, Walnut Ridge. 

Lonoke — J. M. Gates, Lonoke. 
Lincoln — A. B. Carter, Star City. 
Lee — F. N. Burke, Marianna. 
Little River — W. E. Escott, Ashdown. 
Logan — Charles X. Williams, Booneville. 
Lafayette — W. D. Stewart, Lewisville. 
Marion — J. F. Carson, Yellville. 
Madison — Lon Garrett, Huntsville. 
Monroe — H. E. McCoullum, Clarendon. 
Mississippi — R. C. Rose, Osceola. 
Montgomery — W. E. Womble, Womble. 
Miller — Allen Winham, Texarkana. 
Newton — J. W. Moore, Jasper. 
Nevada — Crawford Burton, Prescott. 
Ouachita — W. W. Brown, Camden. 
Poinsett — H. B. Thorn, Harrisburg. 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 67 

Phillips — Edwin Bevens, Helena. 

Pulaski — H. M. Bennett, Little Rock. 

Prairie — R. H. McGeorge, Hazen. 

Pope— J. B. Ward, Russellville. 

Pike — S. S. Langley, Murfreesboro. 

Perry — P. L. Burrow, Perry. 

Polk — Will Alexander, Mena. 

Randolph — C. P. Johnston, Pocahontas. 

Scott — S. K. Duncan, Waldron. 

St. Francis — F. M. VanHouten, Forrest City. 

Sharp — Arthur Sullivan, Hardy. 

Saline — J. H. Kelly, Benton. 

Stone — N. A. Longley, Mountain View. 

Searcy — F. W. Woods, Marshall. 

Sevier — G. A. Henry, Horatio. 

Sebastian — W. H. Johnson, Fort Smith. 

Union — Joe Mahoney, El Dorado. 

Van Buren — W. B. Payne, Bee Branch. 

Woodruff — Walter Raney, McCrory. 

Washington — C. T. Harding, Fayetteville. 

Yell— R. T. Compton, Wing. 

White — J. E. Mason, Searcy. 

Calhoun — C. L. Poole, Hampton. 

In the preparation of the report of activities of the United 
States Employment Service for the period July 1, 1917, to July 1, 
1919, the Women's and Girls' Division was purposely omitted 
in order that it might be treated as a separate subject. 

I can not paint with too glowing colors the success of the 
women's and girls' branch of the service in the State of Arkansas, 
nor can I praise too highly the efficiency of the force handling that 
end of the work. 

Organization. 

The first practical office of the Women's and Girls' Division 
was opened in Little Rock March, 1918. During that month 



68 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

thirty-two women and girls were placed, from the Little Rock 
office, into employment. From that time on the success of the 
division was assured. In April 150 were placed, in May 97, in 
June 192, The total placements from January 1 to December 1, 
1918, were 2,107 women and girls. 

The highest in any one month was in October. In that 
month 508 females were given employment through our office. 
In the Northern and Eastern cities the benevolent and similar 
organizations have for several years conducted an employment for 
the female workers on a charitable basis. Prior to the world 
war this had not reached the South to any considerable extent, nor 
has it reached the South now as a charitable proposition. It is 
strictly a matter of business, and working women are realizing the 
importance of obtaining employment through this division. 

The employers have not fully comprehended the adapta- 
bility of the service to furnish the class of employees needed. As 
you are doubtless aware, the clerks in the Women's and Girls' 
Division are called "examiners." This is because they examine 
each applicant as to her fitness and qualifications for the particular 
class of work applied for. A little carelessness or neglect on the 
part of one of these examiners means considerable time of the busi- 
ness men wasted in interviewing applicants and also means that the 
woman or girl hunting a job is subjected to the embarrassment of 
a refusal. 

Every female applicant is carefully scrutinized as to qualifi- 
cations and appearance. Should this service be made permanent 
by Congress the examination of the applicants will be made more 
rigid and the employer will know that when he asks for help 
through this office that he is getting exactly what he asks for and 
that he will not be annoyed by having to examine dozens of appli- 
cants himself. 

I have from the beginning been an enthusiast in the work, 
not only from a business standpoint but from the standpoint of 
humanity. 

If you could be in one of the offices and see the long chain 
of women and girls asking for jobs and realize the dangers to which 
the young girls become subjected in the city, you would instantly 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 69 

see one of the most important features of the work. It was only 
recently that one of the examiners had a complaint filed by one of 
the applicants as to her treatment by a prospective employer, and 
in a very short time this employer was in municipal court and was 
severely fined. All complaints against employers are quietly in- 
vestigated. 

A recapitulation of placements for the period of February 1 
to December 1, 1919, shows that 2,107 women and girls found 
employment. These employees included every class of working 
woman imaginable. Hundreds of typists and stenographers were 
directed to the various munition plants and to positions made 
vacant by reason of the male employees being drafted into the 
army. 

Reconstruction Period, December 1, 1918, to July, 1919. 

Immediately after it became evident that peace was going to 
be declared and that the great American army was going to be 
demobilized, we began inquiring into the opportunities for the 
women who would be thrown out of employment by reason of the 
soldiers being returned to their former positions and by the dis- 
continuing of a great many Government departments where thou- 
sands of women and girls were employed in war work. 

A tabulation of the placements for the reconstruction period, 
December 1, 1918, to July 1, 1919, shows 1,439 women and girls 
directed to employment through the Women's and Girls' Division 
in the seven months. Without this service I am satisfied that 
hundreds of women and girls would not have found employment 
except through some private agency where a large part of their 
wages would have gone to pay the agency for locating a job for 
them. We have in operation a Woman's and Girls' Division in 
every employment district in the State; however, only in the city 
of Little Rock is this division maintained as a separate branch of 
the service. 

Should Congress fail to make appropriations to maintain this 
office, I urge that every pressure be brought to bear upon the State 
in order that a separate and distinct office for the women and girls 
be maintained as a public employment office. 



70 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

In closing this report, I want to again express my deep appre- 
ciation to the Council of Defense for the assistance to the service, 
and to especially mention two of my employees who have so cred- 
itably carried out the work of the Women's and Girls' Division — 
Miss Annye Diuguid and Mrs. J. O. Banks. 

EXPLOSIVES REGULATION. 

Mr. E. T. Reaves of Little Rock, member of the Arkansas 
State Council of Defense, served from December 5, 1917, to 
June 30, 1919, as United States Explosives Inspector for Arkan- 
sas, under the supervision of the United States Bureau of Mines 
which was charged with the administration of the Act of Con- 
gress regulating the manufacture, sale, transportation, use and 
storage of explosives during the war. 

Mr. Reaves inspected magazines for the storage of explosives, 
calling to the attention of owners those magazines in which 
alterations would have to be made in order to comply with the 
law. 

He also initiated proceedings against violators of the Ex- 
plosives Regulation Act, and investigated fires, explosions and 
thefts of explosives, reporting these cases to the Bureau of Mines. 

In regard to the benefits derived from the enforcement of the 
act, Mr. Reaves reported under date of September 28, 1918, that 
"Before this law became effective, explosives were very insecurely 
housed, carelessly handled and used and depredations from the 
use of explosives in the blowing of safes, destroying property and 
other outrages were quite numerous and of almost daily occur- 
rence. Since giving this important matter extensive publicity, 
through the press, and explaining it fully in my travels over 
different portions of the State, explosives are now securely 
housed, carefully safeguarded, cautiously handled and extreme 
care is used by handlers of explosives to see that only loyal and 
reliable people are enabled to purchase or otherwise procure 
them." (This report was prepared and furnished by Mr. Clar- 
ence Hall, Consulting Explosives Engineer of the Bureau of 
Mines of the Department of the Interior.) 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 71 

ORIGINAL PROJECTS. 

Early in its history the State Council advocated by a resolu- 
tion for the Council of National Defense on the formation of a 
National Priority Board so that essential industries contributing 
support to the war would receive priority in securing labor and 
material and nonessential business be discouraged. 

For the better supervision of the county council work the 
State was districted and each member of the State Council placed 
in direct charge of certain designated county councils. The mem- 
bers of the State Council visited the counties under their jurisdic- 
tion and conferred with the county councils in order that the work 
might be uniform throughout the State. This arrangement was 
brought to the attention of Mr. John H. Winterbotham of Chi- 
cago, field representative of the Council of National Defense, who 
approved of it and recommended that the Council of National 
Defense inform other State Councils of the plan. In this connec- 
tion, the Co-operative Extension Division rendered great service 
by having its district agents meet with the County Councils of 
Defense and advise with them regarding local problems. The plan 
was carried out in still greater detail by having each county agent 
act as field representative of the county council to visit and advise 
with the community council. 

Mr. J. S. Speed suggested that army chaplains be required 
to notify by a sympathetic letter relatives of the deceased men upon 
the death of a man in their regiment. This recommendation was 
submitted by the Council of National Defense to the War Depart- 
ment and adopted, and an order issued adding this service to the 
duties of army chaplains. 

One of the important movements fostered by the State Coun- 
cil of Defense was the Farmers Give-a-Bushel War Fund. This 
movement attracted national attention, and but for the unex- 
pected early termination of the war would have extended through- 
out the United States. Its importance justifies a brief account. 

The Farmers' Give-a-Bushel War Fund. 

Mrs. C, K. Elliott of Rison, Arkansas, conceived the idea of 
offering the farmers of America the opportunity to make a defi- 



72 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

nite contribution towards the winning of the war by giving a 
bushel, or the value thereof, of their most abundant crop to a fund 
to be raised for the benefit of American and Allied soldiers and 
sailors and their families and to help returning soldiers and sailors 
re-establish themselves in civil life. 

Mrs. Elliott first tried out this idea in her home county, 
Cleveland, and the response was so enthusiastic and so generous 
that she was encouraged to present the plan to Governor Brough, 
who not only heartily endorsed it but brought it before the Arkan- 
sas State Council of Defense at a meeting called especially to con- 
sider the plan. The State Council approved it and sent a delegation 
to Washington to confer with President Wilson and others regard- 
ing the advisability of a national campaign for this fund. This 
delegation, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. C. K. Elliott and Mr. H. 
L. Remmel, met a very favorable reception, and it was agreed that 
a campaign should be made in Arkansas first, and upon its conclu- 
sion national trustees should be appointed and a campaign inaug- 
urated in every State. The plan was endorsed by Vice President 
Marshall, Speaker Champ Clark and many others, and later was 
warmly approved by President Wilson. 

Following this report, a meeting of representative citizens 
from all parts of the State was held in Little Rock and a State 
organization was perfected. This organization was composed of 
trustees who accepted oflfice by signing a declaration of purpose 
and trust agreement which was recorded in Cleveland county, 
Arkansas. Mr. Elliott was elected director of the State campaign 
and thereafter until the close of the campaign devoted his whole 
time to it, serving without compensation. Under his direction, 
committees were formed in every county, and the work met with 
the enthusiastic approval of our citizens. 

The unexpected and happy termination of the war closed the 
need for a further campaign, and national trustees were never 
appointed. The Arkansas trustees authorized an ex parte pro- 
ceeding in Cleveland County Chancery Court to close the trust, 
and disburse the funds already collected upon a plan in accordance 
with the terms of the trust. This has been done, and a decree 
of that court entered appointing Adj. Gen. Lloyd England, Major 
J. J. Harrison, Mr. C. K. Elliott and Mrs. C. K. Elliott trustees 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 73 

of this fund with full power to collect it and disburse it under 
the trust agreement already of record. 

These trustees have met and have decided that as far as pos- 
sible, the funds raised in each county should be expended for the 
benefit of the soldiers and sailors from that county, and that the 
beneficiaries of this fund should be consulted in its expenditure. 
It has been decided that the American Legion which is establishing 
posts in practically every county seat and will have a county chair- 
man for each county, will furnish the best medium to find and to 
investigate the cases that should receive help from this fund. 

It is therefore proposed that the American Legion organiza- 
tion for each county shall determine the soldiers and sailors of its 
county who should be the beneficiaries and report each case together 
with the result of its investigation of that case and its recommenda- 
tion to the trustees of this fund for their approval. Each case 
presented to the trustees will be required to have, in addition to 
the report and recommendation, the signed endorsements of the 
chairman, the secretary and the war risk officer of the camp to 
which the proposed beneficiary belongs and the signed approval of 
the State chairman of the American Legion. Upon approving 
the recommendation of the American Legion, the trustees will issue 
their voucher to the beneficiary and charge the fund of that county. 

It has been suggested that in some cases it will be better to 
have the assistance rendered from this fund take the form of a loan 
to be repaid to the American Legion camp of which the beneficiary 
is a member and by that camp used again for some object com- 
patible with the purposes of the fund and thus extend the good to 
be done by this money. But this must of necessity be governed by 
the individual circumstances of each case. 

The total fund is $43,765.83, and is deposited in 106 banks 
over the State. The trustees have deemed it advisable to set 
apart 10 per cent of this fund for meeting unusual cases that may 
arise or emergency calls for help. The expense of raising and 
handling this fund has been small, and each county will bear its 
proportionate part of that expense. The balance of the fund from 
each county, after deducting these two items, will, as nearly as 
possible, be devoted to the soldiers and sailors from that county 
upon the plan outlined above. 



74 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 

The State Council had an executive committee of which Gen- 
eral England was chairman. This committee considered all ex- 
penditures and policy of management, and from time to time 
reported its action to the State Council for approval. 

SPECIAL COMMITTEES. 

The Legislative Committee, Judge Trieber, chairman; Mr. 
Frank Pace and Mr. Wallace Townsend, prepared on behalf of 
the council several important bills that were presented to the Leg- 
islature. Two of these were enacted, the law to punish desecra- 
tion of the flag and the law to encourage the raising of sheep by 
taxing dogs. 

The Americanization Committee, Judge Trieber, chairman; 
R. C. Hall, Superintendent Little Rock Public Schools; J. L. 
Bond, Superintendent Public Instruction; Rabbi Louis Witt and 
Rev. Hay Watson Smith, made a survey of the alien population 
of the State in order to determine what Americanization work 
should be undertaken. This committee found that except in two 
or three communities the prevailing language is English and the 
schools were taught in English. As a result of their investigation, 
the Am.ericanization work in this State was confined to two or 
three localities. 

HISTORICAL RECORD. 

Under the able supervision of Mr. Dallas T. Herndon, sec- 
retary of the Arkansas Historical Commission, a very complete 
record of war activities in Arkansas has been compiled. Mr. 
Herndon's work has been so well planned and executed that the 
State Council has felt that any attempt on its part to collect a 
war history of the State would be an imperfect duplication of his 
work. 

At the conclusion of its work the State Council delivered to 
Mr. Herndon all the files of its correspondence, committee reports 
and other activities so that the detailed record of the work accom- 
plished by the State Council will be accessible should ever an occa- 
sion needing it arise. The State Council acknowledges its indebt- 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 75 

edness to Mr. Herndon for his kindness in taking over its records 
and indexing them so that their contents may be available. 

FINANCES. 

From the beginning, the State Council of Defense was unable 
to undertake as broad a work as it thought necessary because of 
lack of funds. The first funds available for the State Council 
were secured by two deficiency proclamations of $1,000 each issued 
by Governor Brough to which the State Council attached promis- 
sory notes executed by its members. As the demands upon the 
State Council grew and the urgent need of extending the work of 
organization throughout the State became clear, it was recog- 
nized that some provision must be made to finance the council until 
the Legislature could meet. In this connection, it will be re- 
membered that the State Council was created by Governor Brough 
after the adjournment of the 1917 biennial session of the Legisla- 
ture and for that reason had no authority or State statute for its 
existence, nor funds with which to do its work. 

Chairman England, through conference with leading bankers 
of the State, completed arrangements whereby the banks agreed 
to subscribe the total sum of $25,000 with which to take up a 
deficiency proclamation for that amount issued by Governor 
Brough for the support of the State Council work. The banks 
responded promptly and generously to this call and through the 
efforts of Mr. Stewart Wilson of Texarkana, who was appointed 
by the State Bankers Association to collect this money, the fund 
was oversubscribed and the council relieved from further financial 
worry. The 1919 session of the Legislature appropriated the 
money to repay this loan. 

The State Council has from time to time been called upon to 
assist in matters for which there was a recognized need but no 
provision. The State Council financed the campaigns for the 
Farmers Give-a-Bushel War Fund, the Girls' Industrial Home. 
It supplied the money to make possible the Volunteer Medical 
Service Corps, the continuation of the U. S. Employment Service, 
the work of the Women's Council of Defense, the Four-Minute 
Men, the Nonwar Construction Work, the Legislative Committees 
to Assist Local Draft Boards, the work of the Committee on 



76 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

Farms for Soldiers and many other important projects for the 
welfare of the State. A statement of its receipts and disburse- 
ments is as follows: 

RECEIPTS. 

Profits on vouchers purchased $ 82.75 

State of Arkansas (appropriation) — 20,000.00 

Lee County Bank, Marianna 50.00 

Bank of Ratcliffe, Ratclif^e 2.50 

Interest on bank deposits 265.10 

H. C. Couch, Fuel Administrator _ _ 27,749.06 

Rock Island Ry. Co. (Contributions account) 481.52 

Missouri Pac. Ry. Co. (Stock Conservation Campaign) 223.10 

Total $48,854.03 

DISBURSEMENTS. 

Office supplies, stationery, etc $ 2,453.64 

Rent of offices 3 72.00 

Telegraph and telephone expense 481.27 

Publicity work and advertising 1,584.56 

Postage stamps 253.82 

Miscellaneous expenses 374.74 

Traveling expenses 1,817.01 

H. C. Couch, Fuel Administrator 2,500.00 

Interest paid on notes for borrowed money 115.66 

Expense of Four-Minute Men „ _... 785.15 

Expense of Give-a-Bushel Campaign 5,849.25 

Expense of organizing Negro Councils 184.25 

Expense of Campaign for Farms for Soldiers and Sailors 783.08 

Expense of Non-War Construction Work Supervision... 230.65 

Expense of Women's Council of Defense 1,937.69 

Expense of office help and salaries 6,865.41 

Expense of Pershing Parade _ 15.50 

Expense of U. S. Employment Bureau, 

R. B. Keating, Director 8,247.82 

Expense of Little Rock Employment Bureau 380.00 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 77 

Donation to League to Enforce Peace...._ _ $1,000.00 

Expense of Civilian Rifle Practice _ 851.00 

Donation to American Legion _._ _... 2,500.00 

Loans to American Legion„ __ _ _ 6,000.00 

Expense of entertaining 142nd Field Artillery on its 

return from France „ _. 1 ,105.24 

Total $46,687.74 

Cash on hand (England National Bank) 2,166.29 

$48,854.03 



78 Arkansas State Council of Defense 



OF 

J. W. DEAN and J. R. GIBBONS 

Two of the most loyal members of the State Council, who had 
rendered valuable contributions by their advice and wisdom to the 
work the council was undertaking, have died since the beginning 
of this year. Mr. J. W. Dean, General Superintendent of the 
Missouri Pacific Railway Company, died on January 6, 1919, and 
we publish the following account of Mr. Dean's active and useful 
life, from the Arkansas Gazette of January 7, 1919. 

John W. Dean, general superintendent of the Southern Dis- 
trict of the Missouri Pacific Railroad, comprising the States of 
Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, died at 10 o'clock yesterday 
morning (January 6, 1919), at St. Vincent's Infirmary. He 
would have attained his fifty-second birthday on Wednesday, 
January 15. 

The body will lie in state at the Albert Pike Consistory, 
Eighth and Scott streets, from 9 o'clock this morning until 3 
o'clock this afternoon. 

Mr. Dean had been sick but two days. While on an in- 
spection trip on a railway motor car Saturday morning, he con- 
tracted a severe cold. This developed into pneumonia. He was 
brought to Little Rock in his private car, and taken to the in- 
firmary. 

Mr. Dean was a thirty-second degree Mason and a mem- 
ber of the Mystic Shrine. He was also a member of the Coun- 
try Club, and of the State Council of Defense. Governor Brough 
yesterday instructed the Adjutant General to appoint a commit- 
tee from the Council and also a military escort at the funeral 
service, which will be held at the consistory at 3 o'clock this 
afternoon (January 7, 1919), in charge of Bishop J. R. Win- 
chester. 

Mr. Dean was a member of Christ Church. The body will 
leave Little Rock tonight on a special funeral train for Wagner, 
Oklahoma, where burial will take place. 




J. W. DEAN 



Arkansas State Couxcil of Defense 79 

Pallbearers will be: Honorary, Senator Joe T. Robinson, 
Gov. C. H. Brough, Fred Heiskell, C. A. Pratt, Adjutant Gen- 
eral Lloyd England, Alex Robertson, Charles L. Stone, C. E. 
Perkins, E. B. Kinsworthy, Thomas T. Pryor, Celsus P. Perrie, 
C. T. Coleman, Henry Bernstein, Thomas S. Buzbee, and Mayor 
Charles E. Taylor; active, S. H. Barnes, R. C. White, D. W. 
Cunningham, Harry Williams, A. R. Taylor and B. W. Moore. 

Mr. Dean is survived by his wife, one daughter, Mrs. Ger- 
trude Arnold of Kansas City, Mo., one son, Jimmy Dean, one 
brother, Howard Dean of Corder, Mo., and two sisters, Mrs. 
A, M. Drum and Mrs. Beulah Naley of Seattle, Wash. 

"Arkansas has lost one of her greatest, purest and most con- 
structive citizens," said Governor Brough on being informed of 
Mr. Dean's death. "He was an honored member of the State 
Council of Defense, and I wish to express my personal and offi- 
cial regret at learning of his death." At the request of the Gov- 
ernor, Adjutant General England appointed H. L. Remmel, 
J. Smith Speed and Joseph W. House, Jr., as a committee from 
the Council of Defense to attend the body. 

John W. Dean was born in Lafayette County, Missouri, 
January 15, 1867. He began his career as messenger boy on the 
Chicago and Alton Railroad in 1877, and his first work in Ark- 
ansas was with the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Rail- 
road, as brakeman and operator in 1882. He heard the call of 
the West and served with the Santa Fe lines in various capacities 
from 1877 to 1902. While with the Santa Fe, Mr. Dean served 
as operator, brakeman, yardmaster, dispatcher, chief dispatcher 
and trainmaster. 

He left the Santa Fe to accept a position as trainmaster with 
the Denver and Rio Grande, and soon afterward was promoted 
to superintendent of the terminals. He then left the D. & R. G. 
to accept service with the Colorado and Southern, and was su- 
perintendent of that line in Denver. Later he went to Mexico 
City, where he spent about two years as superintendent of the 
Mexico Central in the City of Mexico. 

Upon his return from Mexico, he was for a short time ter- 
minal trainmaster for the Illinois Central at Memphis, and later 



80 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

went to Missouri Pacific as superintendent of the Central Divi- 
sion at Van Buren, Ark., in 1905. Mr. Dean had previously 
been with the Missouri Pacific a short time in the early 80's. 
In 1909, he was elected to fill the position of general superin- 
tendent of the Denver & Rio Grande, with headquarters at 
Pueblo, and returned to the Missouri Pacific in 1911, as assistant 
superintendent of transportation, with headquarters at St. Louis. 
On April 24, 1912, Mr. Dean came to Little Rock as general 
superintendent of the Southern district, which position he held 
at the time of his death. 

Mr. Dean had an unusually large circle of friends in the 
railroad world, and was well known throughout the States 
through which that part of the railroad under his jurisdiction 
operated. At the time of his death, he was working on an inven- 
tion of his own, a weed burner to clear the tracks of all weeds 
and trash. As are all great inventions, the weed burner designed 
by Mr. Dean was very simple. It consisted of a car, covered with 
asbestos underneath, and with the asbestos wings extending out 
over the sides of the track. When pushed in front of an engine, 
steam pipes underneath the car and extended asbestos wings were 
connected with the steam exhaust on the engine and when turned 
on a heat of about 700 degrees was obtained. The process was 
speedy, and after the burner had passed over the tracks the rails 
were hot enough to burn a person severely. 

The State Council at its meeting on January 16, 1919, 
adopted the following resolution: 

"fVhereas, it has pleased God in his infinite wisdom to take 
from us, since our last meeting, one of our most beloved members, 
J. W. Dean; therefore be it 

"Resolved, by the Arkansas State Council of Defense, that in 
the death of Mr. Dean the State of Arkansas has lost one of its 
most patriotic, public-spirited and useful citizens, and this council 
one of its most faithful and devoted members. 

"Resolved further, that the sympathy of the council be ex- 
tended to his family and a copy of these resolutions be sent to them, 
to the press and inscribed in the minutes of this meeting." 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 81 

Mr. Dean had been very much interested, especially in trans- 
portation facilities, and the State Council recognized the valuable 
services of Mr. Dean, and Mr. Robertson in a resolution adopted 
on July 16, 1917, and which is as follows: 

"Resolved, that the Arkansas State Council of Defense feels 
that it is its duty as well as its pleasure to recognize in the most 
public manner, the fine spirit of the Missouri Pacific Railroad sys- 
tem, and the executive ability displayed by its officials in com- 
pleting inside of the schedule time the railroad spur to Camp Pike. 

"Recognizing the necessity for the prompt completion of this 
very necessary link in the work of constructing the Twelfth Divi- 
sion Cantonment, Vice President Alexander Robertson and Gen- 
eral Superintendent J. W. Dean concentrated all workmen and 
material possible on this enterprise, and gave to it their direct per- 
sonal attention. 

"The difficult route to the cantonment caused experienced 
engineers to question the possibility to complete the work in a 
time short enough not to cause a troublesome accumulation of the 
material necessary for the construction of the cantonment. 

"The constructing quartermaster fixed July 15 as the date 
by which it would be .necessary to complete the railroad to the 
cantonment site, and Mr. Robertson and Mr. Dean promised that 
the road should be completed by that date. 

"On July 14 the railroad system was finished, and the first 
train arrived at Camp Pike. 

"The Arkansas State Council of Defense feels that the State 
of Arkansas and the city of Little Rock are fortunate in having 
such splendid co-operation on the part of the Missouri Pacific 
system, and in having Mr. Alexander Robertson and Mr. J. W. 
Dean connected with this great railroad. 

"Experience has shown that when any big public emergency 
work has to be done, the community may rely upon both the rail- 
road and Mr. Robertson and Mr. Dean to concentrate their ener- 
gies in successfully carrying it out. The thanks of the community 
are due to all of this." 



82 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

GENERAL J. R. GIBBONS. 

No member of the State Council of Defense took a greater 
interest in its work and was more faithful in his attendance and 
in his devotion both to the interests of his State and his Nation 
than General Gibbons. He brought to the deliberations of the 
council the mature experience of an active and successful life, and 
a charitable memory of the hardships he had suffered while a Con- 
federate soldier. 

General Gibbons, although the oldest man on the State Coun- 
cil, did more than his share of visiting county councils, arousing 
their interest and support for the Council of Defense program, 
and seeking to secure for the National Government the united sup- 
port of our citizens. His association with the members was beau- 
tiful, his love for his associates devoted, and he enjoyed the meet- 
ing and working with his fellow-members on the State Council. 
The members of the State Council will always remember his de- 
lightful hospitality on the occasion of the meeting of September 
30, 1918, when he had the State Council meet at his home in 
Bauxite, Arkansas, and later took them over the great bauxite 
plant, of which he was general manager. In the vigor of his 
thought and activity. General Gibbons was a young man, and 
his well-considered words were always received with the greatest 
respect by his associates. General Gibbons was first very sick in 
January, 1919, and the State Council at that time sent him a tele- 
gram expressing its sympathy, and hope for an early recovery. He 
apparently recovered from the first illness and attended several 
meetings of the State Council, but he was again taken sick in 
June and died on June 15, 1919. We quote the following article 
from the Arkansas Gazette of June 16: 

GEN. J. R. GIBBONS DIES AT HOME AT BAUXITE. 



Confederate Veteran, Former Division Commander U. C. V., and 
Well Known Business Man. 



General J. R. Gibbons, seventy-five years old, died at his 
home in Bauxite, at 2:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon, having sue- 




J. R. GIBBONS 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 83 

cumbed to an attack of pneumonia, with which he had been afflicted 
for the past ten days. His vitah'ty was remarkable and at times 
It seemed that he would recover and it was not until yesterday 
morning that the end was evidently near. 

His wife, Mrs. Annie A. Gibbons, and all his children were 
at the bedside when the end came. Besides his wife, he is sur- 
vived by a daughter, Miss Annie Carlton Gibbons, of Bauxite, and 
two sons, J. Felton Gibbons of Bauxite, and George R. Gibbons of 
Pittsburgh, Pa. 

John Rison Gibbons was the son of George Rockingham Gib- 
bons and his wife, Harriet Caroline Rison of Rockingham county, 
Virginia. He was born November 16, 1843, in Richmond, Va! 
He attended school at Bridgewater, Va., and later Massy Creek 
Academy near that place where he was preparing to attend the 
University of Virginia. 

While a student at the academy in the year 1861, at the age 
of seventeen, he became a member of Captain Tom Yancey's cav- 
alry, which was Company I, First Regiment of Virginia Cavalry, 
and which had been organized by General J. E. B. Stuart, at Har- 
per's Ferry. He served in this regiment as a private during the 
entire war and was in every great battle fought by the army of 
Northern Virginia except two, when he was on furlough. 

Present at Lee's Surrender. 

He was with the regiment at the surrender of Lee's army at 
Appomattox. He returned to his father's home, then in North 
Georgia. He then moved to Nolansville, Tenn., and engaged in 
farming and milling. On November 25, 1874, he married Miss 
Annie America Felton, daughter of Dr. William A. Felton, of 
Cartersville, Ga. In 1880 he moved to Rome, Ga., and engaged 
in the mercantile business. In 1891 he began mining bauxite in 
Georgia and continued in that industry there until 1901, when he 
moved to Saline county, Arkansas, with his family. 

He constructed the large plant of the American Bauxite Com- 
pany in Saline county and founded the town of Bauxite. He 
always led a very active life and in the growth and welfare of the 
community he was consistent in his efforts. He was most patriotic 



84 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

and had deep affection for his adopted State, Arkansas. He was 
a member of the State Council of Defense, fuel administrator for 
Saline county and chairman of the War Savings Stamp Board for 
Saline county. 

He was a devout member of the Methodist church and he was 
always interested in the matters that affected the history of the 
Civil war and in the organization of the Confederate Veterans. 
He was a member of Omer Wheeler Camp, U. C. V., of Little 
Rock. In the U. C. V. he had various appointments with the 
following rank: 

Was Division Commander, U. C. V. 

In 1907 and 1908, major; 1909 and 1911, lieutenant col- 
onel; in 1912, colonel, and in 1913 he was elected major general, 
commanding the Arkansas Division, and continued to fill this office 
to the time of his death. In 1913 he was appointed commissioner 
for the State of Arkansas at the reunion of the Blue and Gray 
at Gettysburg. 

A notable incident in his life was his part of the return of the 
flag of the 76th Ohio Regiment which was captured by the First 
Arkansas Regiment at Ringo Gap, Ga. It was General Gibbons' 
idea to return the flag as a symbol of the spirit of the new South. 
The matter was successfully carried through, and on the anniver- 
sary of its capture, the flag was returned at Columbus, O., where 
the 76th Ohio Regiment was organized. 

He traced the survivors of the First Arkansas, and all of them 
who could do so attended the ceremonies, as did quite a number 
of distinguished people, including the Governor of Arkansas. The 
incident and the spirit that prompted it brought forth wide and 
favorable comment from the Northern and Eastern press. 

Funeral services will be held at Bauxite at 1 o'clock this 
afternoon, the Rev. Philip Cone Fletcher officiating. The body 
will be taken to Cartersville, Ga., for interment, from Bauxite 
on the Rock Island at 2 :20 p. m. The following from among 
his associates at Bauxite will be pallbearers: 

W. A. Rucker, C. C. Brazil, J. M. Lewellen, George Rog- 
ers, Jim Horn, Hall Pitman, Lawton Rucker and John Parsons. 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 85 

Order by Gen. Green, U. C. V. 
Gen. B. W. Green, commander Arkansas Division, U. C. V., 
last night issued a general order on the death of General Gibbons, 
as follows: 

"General Order No. 3. 

"The commanding general announces with profound sorrow 
tlie death of Gen. J. R. Gibbons, which occurred at Bauxite on 
the afternoon of June 15. 

"The funeral services will be conducted at Bauxite at 1 
o'clock p. m. today, and the remains will be immediately taken 
by his family to his former home in Georgia for burial. General 
Gibbons was for two terms commander of the Arkansas Division, 
United Confederate Veterans, and was also commander of Omer 
R. Weaver Camp, U. C. V., for two terms. He was, during 
the late world's war, one of State Council of Defense. As a 
business man he took first rank, being at the head of the American 
Bauxite Company. As a citizen he was progressive, enterprising 
and liberal. His record as a Confederate soldier, 1861-5, is not 
surpassed for gallantry and bravery. 

"In his death the State sustains a loss which will be deeply 
felt, while his comrades will grieve with his widow and children. 
"By order "B. W. GREEN, 

"Attest: "Major General Commanding. 

"J. F. Green, Adj. Gen." 

At its meeting on July 23, 1919, the State Council adopted 
the following resolution: 

''Whereas, it has pleased God in His infinite wisdom to take 
from us our beloved friend, Gen. J. R. Gibbons, who was a most 
devoted and valuable member of this council from the date of its 
organization until his death; therefore be it 

''Resolved, by the Arkansas State Council of Defense, That 
in the death of General Gibbons, the State of Arkansas has lost 
a distinguished citizen, whose loyalty to her was inspired by a 
deep love, and whose zeal in the furtherance of every public spir- 
ited movement contributed to her advancement; and that we have 
lost one of our most faithful members, whose devotion, whose 
untiring energy In our labors, whose unselfish and patriotic coun- 



86 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

sel have been most valuable and have assisted greatly in the success 
of our work; and be it further 

''Resolved, That the sympathy of the council be extended to 
his family and a copy of these resolutions be sent to them, to the 
press, and be entered upon our minutes." 



CONCLUSION. 

It will be admitted that this is a very imperfect record of the 
Arkansas State Council. It can not and does not purport to set 
forth all of the activities undertaken by the council during the 
period of its existence, and this report is simply an attempt to give 
a fair account of its work. Many of the special department re- 
ports have been written by the men in charge of that work or 
prepared from reports made by them. For the other departments 
we have had to prepare the report from the records in this office. 

We may well say in concluding this report that the members 
of the State Council of Defense were earnestly devoted to the 
interests of their State and their Nation during the war ; that they 
gave liberally of their time and ability to assist in solving the many 
perplexing problems that grew out of war conditions; that they 
labored unselfishly without hope or desire for reward, prompted 
only by patriotism. They endeavored to be just and moderate in 
all of their actions, and gave to every matter presented to them 
a most conscientious and painstaking consideration. The high 
esteem in which the State Council has been held during the war 
and since that time is evidence of the value of their service. 

The members of the State Council on behalf of the State 
thank the great number of patriotic citizens who by working in 
the county or community councils and in other war activities have 
combined to make such a splendid war record for our State. It is 
their regret that the space and time do not permit a proper men- 
tion of the services rendered by the many people who have assisted 
in their labors. 

At the conclusion of the work in this State, the chairman of 
the County Councils of Defense were: 

Arkansas — C. E. Condray, DeWitt; J. P. Dillon, Stuttgart. 

Ashley — George Norman, Hamburg. 

Baxter — R. H. Russel, Mountain Home. 



Arkansas State Council of Defense 87 

Benton — Dr. J. H. Lindsey, Bentonville. 
Boone — F. M. Garvin, Harrison. 
Bradley — J. R. Wilson, Warren. 
Calhoun — J. S. McKnight, Hampton. 

Carroll — R. R. Thompson, Eureka Springs; T. E. McMas- 
ters, Berryville. 

Chicot — W. G. Streett, Lake Village. 

Clark — Joe Hardage, Arkadelphia. 

Clay — C. T. Bloodworth, Corning; J. M. Turner, Piggott. 

Cleburne — Howard Reed, Heber Springs. 

Cleveland — W. E. Gallow^ay, Rison. 

Columbia — A. S. Killgore, Magnolia. 

Conway — Loid Rainwater, Morrilton. 

Craighead — H. M. Cooley, Jonesboro. 

Crawford — P. D. Scott, Van Buren. 

Crittenden — Smith A. Johnson, Marion. 

Cross — O. N. Killough, Wynne. 

Dallas — John R. Hampton, Fordyce. 

Desha— K. G. Morley, McGehee. 

Drew — Jack Curry, Monticello. 

Faulkner — W. D. Cole, Jr., Conway. 

Franklin — L. M. Guthrie, Ozark; T. A. Pettigrew, Charles- 



ton. 



Fulton — J. W. Carroll, Salem. 
Garland — Houston Emory, Hot Springs. 
Grant— D. E. Waddell, Sheridan. 
Greene — Eli Meiser, Paragould. 
Hempstead — W. S. Atkins, Hope. 
Howard — J. G. Sain, Nashville. 
Independence — S. M. Casey, Batesville. 
Izard — Elbert Godwin, Melbourne. 
Jackson — Jos. M. Stayton, Newport. 
Jefferson— A. H. Rowell, Pine Bluff. 
Johnson — D. Ward Dunlap, Clarksville. 
Lafayette — W. D. Stewart, Lewisville. 
Lawrence — H. L. Ponder, Walnut Ridge. 
Hot Spring — A. W. Jernigan, Malvern. 
Lee — F. N. Burke, Marianna. 
Lincoln — E. P. Ladd, Furth. 
Little River — A. D. DuLaney, Ashdown. 



88 Arkansas State Council of Defense 

Logan — C. X. Williams, Booneville ; Conrad Elsken, Subiaco. 

Lonoke — J. M. Gates, Lonoke. 

Madison — Lon Garrett, Huntsville. 

Marion — J. F. Carson, Yellville. 

Miller — Allen Winham, Texarkana. 

Mississippi — R. C. Rose, Osceola; A. B. Fairfield, Blythc- 
ville. 

Monroe — R. F. Milwee, Clarendon. 

Montgomery — W. E. Womble, Womble. 

Nevada — C. B. Andrews, Prescott. 

Newton — J. W. Moore, Jasper. 

Ouachita — W. W. Brown, Camden. 

Perry — P. L. Burrow, Perry. 

Phillips — Edwin Bevens, Helena. 

Pike — S. S. Langley, Murfreesboro. 

Poinsett — H. B. Thorn, Harrisburg. 

Polk— V. W. St. John, Mena. 

Pope— J. B. Ward, Russellville. 

Prairie — C. E. Gillespie, Hazen ; H. R. Whyte, Des Arc 

Pulaski — H. F. H. Eberts, Little Rock, Gazette building. 

Randolph — C. G. Johnson, Pocahontas. 

Saline — E. A. Parker, Benton. 

Scott — S. K. Duncan, Waldron. 

Searcy — A. T. Hudspeth, Marshall. 

Sebastian — W. H. Johnson, Fort Smith. 

Sevier — Dr. G. A. Henry, Horatio. 

Sharp — Arthur Sullivan, Hardy; J. R. Metcalf, Evening 
Shade. 

St. Francis — S. H. Mann, Forrest City. 

Stone — N. A. Longley, Mountain View. 

Union — Joe Mahoney, El Dorado. 

Van Buren — W. B. Payne, Bee Branch. 

Washington — A. T. Lewis, Fayetteville. 

White — J. E. Mason, Searcy. 

Woodruff — R. T. Harville, Augusta. 

Yell— R. T. Compton, Wing. 



(An effort was made to secure for publication in this report 
a list of the entire membership of each county council of defense, 
but not enough of the counties responded to our request for a 
complete list of membership to justify publishing such a list.) 



